Night Waltz
by Austin101
Summary: (An Original Story, some inspirations from OP and FMA, but nothing canon) There are 8 countries in Wytsu, all with their own systems. However, there are a few who are not pleased with the systems, and are taking action. Will this rebellion be able to stop the Denizen? What will become of the Candidates who rebel against the current Denizen?
1. How It All Began

Edited and reposted 8-19-18: edit in the story dates/days.

Edited and reposted 8-5-18: minor detailing and wording, change of chapter title.

Edited and reposted 4-29-18: Moving around of information for better flow, changed to First/Second/Third/Fourth Rank.

Edited and reposted 3-11-18: Minor changes, changing status names to Level 1-4 rather than names.

Edited and reposted 10-14-17: Minor changes.

 **This is a crossover, but this story does not include any canon characters from any series.** **Some ideas may be influenced from a series, but are not exactly those ideas. I do accept and will use OC's that would like to join.**

 **You can find the links to my music I make for this story on my profile, Austin101.**

* * *

 **July 26th, 1293 NB (New Beginnings)**

A long, imposing table sits silently under a massive dome. Nine chairs, four on opposite sides, are neatly lined up at the table. The last chair proudly stands at the head of the table. Of the nine chairs, only seven are filled. Men and women, each around their forties, are seated around the table.

This is the Hall of Denizen, where the legendary Guardians of Wytsu meet. Wytsu, a continent separated from the rest of the world, is comprised of eight countries. These eight countries represent a different element: Light, Fire, Lightning, Wind, Water, Ice, Shadow, and Earth.

The continent of Wytsu is like a large donut cut into seven pieces with an island country in the middle, and there are massive mountains all along the edges of the continent. No one enters Wytsu, and no one leaves. Each Guardian not only has their respectful power, but they also have twice the lifespan of a normal human.

The door to the large room opens and a man walks in wearing a kimono covered in silver and gold. The Denizens at the table stand and bow to him: the Keeper. The Keeper watches the Denizen and summons them to meet and discuss anything that needs to be brought up. Once the Keeper takes a seat at the end of the long table, the rest follow. The last lone,empty chair belongs to the Wind Denizen.

"Thank you for coming. As many of you are now aware, the Wind Trial for the new Wind Denizen has now been completed. Does anyone have time to help her get accustomed to her new role?"

No one speaks up. After a brief moment, a pale hand raises. The woman, the Light Denizen, looks to be in her 40's. "I have some time to help her."

"Thank you, Layta. I will provide you with the details afterwards." The Keeper turns to the Fire Denizen who sits at the far right side of the table. "How is the mining project?"

"There have been a few incidents, but we are gathering more reliable Locket users to reduce the casualties." His booming voice echoed. The Fire Denizen wears clothing with flame and mountain designs, distracting people from how old he looks.

"I hope that the casualties lessen in the near future."

"I sincerely apologize." The Fire Denizen bows guiltily.

"Icatan, did you really found an Ice Candidate?"

"Yes, that would be correct." Icatan, the Ice Denizen, slowly speaks with a cold breath of air. His light blue and black clothing makes him seem younger and sturdier, though he is currently the oldest of the Denizen, at the age of 182 years old. The oldest a Denizen has been known to live for is roughly two hundred years.

"Alright, then. Who is able to referee the Ice Trials?"

The Shadow Denizen raises a hand, his black and purple cloak flapping. He appears to be in his 40's, but he is 167 years old, one of the youngest-looking Denizen at that age. When the Shadow Denizen raises his hand, the Earth Denizen stands up. "I don't want that traitor to watch over someone's trials!"

"All I did was say I could referee. He asked to know who could." He said quietly and calmly while pushing back the purple hair from over his right eye.

"He is not in the wrong," Icatan reinforced. "His mistake was cleared up, I don't understand why you continue holding onto that hatred towards him."

"I will not allow bickering at this table." The Denizen silence themselves upon the Keeper's request. "Who else is able to watch over the Ice Trial?"

The Water Denizen raises her hand. "I, too, would be able to be a referee for the Ice Trial."

The Lightning Denizen also raises his hand. "I can, as well."

"If no one else is able, then let us nominate from these three. Who nominates Gary Tsutsukage, Shadow Denizen, to watch the Ice Trial?" Gary and Icatan raise their hands. "Who nominates Hali Geratsu, the Water Denizen?" The Water and Light Denizen raise their hand. "Who nominates Pachi Kashima, the Lightning Denizen?" The rest of the Denizen present raise their hand; the Lightning, Fire, and Earth Denizen. Pachi, the Lightning Denizen, has the most votes. "Will you accept, Pachi?"

"I will," the Lightning Denizen replies.

"Thank you. How are your children?"

"They are growing strong and showing a lot of promise for our family."

"That's wonderful to hear." He stands up. "The Wind Trial is over, and she will join us next time. The Ice Trial is soon to come, and we will meet once again when the Ice Trial is nearing its end. Everything seems to be going well."

The meeting continues for a while longer.

The Fire Denizen, Kai, raises his hand hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Pardon me," he apologizes. "It's just… I believe that 'he' appeared in my country." The Keeper shifts his eyes towards the Fire Denizen. "I couldn't clearly see him, but I knew it was him."

The Keeper moves himself behind his chair. "I want you to send scouts to find 'him'. We cannot afford to let him roam in Wytsu again."

"Immediately," the Fire Denizen bows, standing and immediately taking his leave from the Hall of Denizen.

The Ice Guardian chuckles gently, releasing cold air from his lungs. "If I wasn't so old, I would pay him back for taking my left arm," he says, grabbing his right arm. Underneath his clothing is a fake arm made of ice. "I guess I was too patient with time."

"It can't be helped, it was the best thing you could have done in that situation," the Keeper notes. "I just hope the Ice Trial can begin soon and without interference." The Ice Denizen nods slowly, releasing more cold air as he exhales.

The meeting is adjourned. Another ten years pass. The Ice Denizen now lays in his deathbed.

The Ice Trial has already begun.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: How It All Began**

 **October 5th, 1303 NB (New Beginnings): Outskirts of Patsu City, Shadow Country of Wytsu**

White flakes find their way through the windows of the old wooden home. I am looking down at a little girl who twists in pain on a bed while speaking to my best friend who stands next to me. "Is she getting any better?"

"She is, but it's still bad."

I let out a saddened sigh. "Do you still don't know how she got to be this sickly?"

"I can only imagine it was from her school."

My name is Maelynn, and I earned the Third Rank in the Shadow Country. My best friend, Lily, has a sister named Kisa who has fallen ill for quite some time due to the lack of income, and they are both in the First Rank. In Wytsu, everything is all about status: you get extra money based on your status, you can get better housing, and you are well respected by others. In this country of the Shadow, we have four ranks:

First Rank, the lowest of the low, working as farmers and barely managing to live.

Second Rank, the status of your everyday citizen, going about living their lives and working.

Third Rank, where I am at, is a more advanced lifestyle where we show incredible talent for something and do nothing but work on that talent. We are paid a considerate amount, as well.

Fourth Rank, the highest status one can receive other than Candidate and Denizen. These are the best of the best with what they do. Not only that, they also are some of the strongest fighters in the Shadow Country.

With my status, I get enough money so I can support Lily and her sister enough to help them move along while still being able to take care of my needs. If I can help a friend, especially a best friend, I will.

"Let me know what medicines you need and I will get them for you."

"You're so generous," Lily says as she bows to me due to my status. Even though we're best friends, we still respect the system as often as we can. I wave my arms frantically.

"Please don't bow to me, it's really okay. I want to help." She wasn't listening; she continued to bow. I exhale. She eventually told me what medicines she wanted to try using for her sister and I jotted them down on a piece of paper.

"Are you sure you're okay with helping us so much? You should make sure you can take of yourself, too."

"I'll be fine, I have lots of extra money to help you two and handle anything else that comes my way." My eye twitches when a white flake hits my open eye. I look out the window, remembering that it's getting late. I stand up and head for the door. "I should get going. I'll stop by tomorrow to give you the medicine."

"Thank you so much," Lily responds with a bow, followed by a tight hug. I then walk out the door into the sunset.

The night is the most dangerous time of day. Patsu City, the heart of the Shadow Country, is the most ruthless place to be in all of the Shadow Country with criminals roaming the night. Why am I living in such a place? While Patsu City is the most ruthless, it is the most respected place for those with status and it has the best jobs for Third and Fourth Ranked. Those of us who are Third and Fourth Ranked generally live within expensive hotel-like buildings. The high pay isn't only because of our status, but it is because these buildings are protected from criminal activity. No one can rob or kill within the buildings, so of course it's going to cost a lot of money to keep such a home.

I run as fast as I can, my large bag riding on my back. The hay path and fields of trees setting change into a setting of paved roads, shady alleys, and urban business buildings. I take a deep breath, adjusting again to the smokey air of Patsu City.

The sun barely peeks over the mountains that surround the continent of Wytsu. I only manage to run a few minutes into the City when I catch something shining in the distance. I duck, barely dodging a weapon. The fact that they are attacking me means that they are probably also a Third Rank like myself. If someone of a higher or similar status dies or loses their status, someone will either move up or become noticed by everyone which helps to reach the Fourth Rank. I'm currently in the top ten in the Art industry of the Shadow Country, so I'm targeted often.

A man in the shadows with the harpoon walks into the lit area of the road, the sun saying goodbye behind the mountains. "I couldn't tell if you used your Locket power, but you better use it if you want to live. Unless you give up your status, then we'll let you leave without any serious wounds."

"I really don't want to hurt you, so please leave me alone."

"You should worry about yourself, first." He puts the large harpoon down and pulls out two crossbows, shooting a few rounds from each. I quickly move to the side for each shot, barely getting out of the way.

"Why don't we make a deal: if you can hit me with a weapon within five minutes, I will step down from my status and leave. If you can't hit me in that time, then you have to step down and leave the Shadow country." The man and the other two start laughing, so I make another remark. "I'd say it's reasonable; you are asking me to step down, so why don't I ask you to step down?" The man stopped laughing. He puts a crossbow down and reaches for his own neck, pulling out a locket hidden underneath his gangster shirt. It glowed green. These lockets are the way to fight in Patsu City. Without one in places like this, you're as good as dead.

During the fourth generation of Denizen over 700 years ago, Alchemists created Lockets and stones that give people power as long as they wear the Locket. The Lockets hold a small object that is made using a small part of one's soul, and the power is based off of that soul piece. For example, someone short tempered may have their soul piece be put into the locket and bring about the power to explode something nearby. The people of Wytsu are only able to get a locket if they have the status or money to do so.

"Yea, sure, fine, whatever. Five minutes." He laughs to himself, clearly not planning to follow up with the deal in the end if he loses.

Sadly, I have already won. His left hand glows blue, white numbers appearing on his left hand: 5:00. My eyes change from a golden brown to a bright sky blue.

Roughly 95% of the Wytsu population are average people. Roughly a quarter of the Wtsu population are a Third or Fourth Rank. However, about 5% of the Wytsu population have what we call a Pure Power. We are people who don't need lockets for power. We typically hide it from the public due to the hatred towards us.

My Pure Power is known as Taishiru. A Taishiru is a "Dealer" who can make someone do what you command them to do or to make them do what it takes to fulfill their debt. Just now, I sealed him so if I win, he must fulfil his part of the bargain. If he tries running away, the seal will acknowledge him as resigning and forces him to fulfil the bargain. He he succeeds, the seal will simply disappear.

The man freaks out. "What kind of locket power is this?!"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I hide the fact that I am a Pure Powered. We are shunned and hated. He grabs the crossbow he put down and begins shooting without having to reload. His locket is Solidify, allowing him to create things out of the air and be able to manipulate the objects for a certain amount of time and specific range. I've come across many who have a Solidify locket.

4:56. My feet dance and my body sways, dodging the ammunition and kicking away the two goons. It wasn't against the deal to have help restraining or be attacked by others, as long as the weapons he uses hits me.

My specialty is in the Art Industry: dancing. I have danced since I could stand, and I learned to fight like this in order to get where I am.

4:28. The ammunition keeps coming, faster than before, but it was no use. I am able to dodge all of them through the strength in my legs that I built up all my life. It is getting harder to avoid the faster ammunition, though. I caught glimpse of one arrow in particular that was about to make contact with me if I didn't jump. I am forced to jump out of the way and lose my footing. The man smiles and turns the weapon towards me again. My pure power is making deals, but it doesn't help me once I am in battle. He shoots like a machine gun in my direction, and I barely jump out of the way again.

4:02. After continuously managing to barely pull off these dodges, I decide that I need to use my own locket. I don't like using it, but when you need power, you need power. My chest under my shirt glows where the locket is, and everything around me begins to slow down. My locket is Speed, allowing my body to move faster than everything around me. This, however, was a mistake, showing the fact that I have both a locket and am Pure Powered.

"There's no way you can have two lockets, that's impossible. The only other explanation is for you to be a damn Pure Powered. " Getting agitated, the man drops the crossbows and begins to use his Solidify to directly send harpoons at me directly without the weapon. He has good eyes, being able to still be able to follow me with this speed.

2:46. All the harpoons miss their target, and I am starting to feel the side effect of my Speed locket, getting really light headed. Once again, he gets really close to hitting me with one of his harpoons, but I jump out of the way. I suck up the pain and the lightheadedness, working to focus on going faster and avoiding the man for just a little longer, but he makes more and more ammunition with Solidify.

0:58. I am barely holding on anymore. In a fight where I am forced to use my Speed locket , I can last for only a few minutes before I'm out of breath and have to stop because of the strain of moving at such speeds. I'm not strong enough. The only thing I can do is use my words before a fight begins.

The harpoons I dodged exploded upon hitting the pavement, sending debris into the air in front of me. I try turning another direction, but I can't slow down fast enough and stumble through the debris, getting scratched and bruised by the sharp edges. I didn't hit any of his harpoons, though, so I'm still good. However I found myself on the ground and he rushes over, putting himself on top of me while I am on my back to prevent me from getting up. I put my hands up to block his attack. He raises a knife that he Solidified and brings it down while I close my eyes.

After a few seconds of silence, I slowly open my eyes, finding the knife stopped a foot away from my face. He stands up against his will, and I stand up. His hand continues to glow, the timer on his left hand saying 0:00. His entire body glows sky blue and then it fades, a blue mark engraved on his left hand.

"You..." the man snaps while trying to make his body move, but it is in vain.

"A deal is a deal," I say slowly, catching my breath. I do not like the fact that I have little stamina for Speed, but it helps when I need it most.

To dance around my opponents and continue hiding the fact that I have a Pure Power. This is my Night Waltz.

* * *

I get inside my building and take the elevator to the twenty-third floor without anyone else causing me trouble. People can still vocally attack others in these expensive buildings.

I open the door to my home and walk through the kitchen into my room. I throw my bag on the floor and shed my clothes from my body, walking into the bathroom and turning the water on. I undo the ponytail and flick it back, hoping to get as much of the hair untangled as I can. With the tub nearly full, I slide my feet into the warm water.

Before I can get comfortable, I hear knocking at the apartment door. Cautiously, I slowly get up, put a towel around my chest, and go to the door. I look through the looking hole to see who it is. When I see who it is, I quickly open the door and stand up straight before bowing from the waist. Not too low, though, due to the towel. I bow because it is mandatory to bow to those of higher status.

"Hello, Miss Yamaharu. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Miss Yamaharu is a Fourth Rank, one of the few in this city. Miss Yamaharu takes an envelope from her handbag and hands it to me. "This is for you. The content on this letter is regarding the Trial of Fourth." When she says this, I realize what is going on.

My dance is being approved as Fourth Rank material.

"Thank you for coming to deliver this in person." I bow again.

"Of course. We can't trust anyone other than ourselves to deliver information these days." She turns and takes her leave. "See you in the morning." While walking, someone leaps at her. Without recognizing the attacker, walking as if nothing is happening, he plunges into the floor. I, like everyone, know this: she has a special, rare locket that gives her the ability to manipulate the weight of objects and people. Like all lockets, it takes time and experience to use one's locket more often and to bring out more power from it.

I close the door and excitedly run into my room to jump on my bed still in the towel.

If I pass the trial, I can become a Fourth Ranker and get more money to finally get Lily and her sister to a better home. Too excited to sleep, I get back into the tub to clean up and calm down so that I may sleep.

* * *

October 6th, 1303 NB

"Are you going to be okay?" Lily kept looking Kisa, giving her the medicine that I brought with me.

"I'll be fine. I've been training for this all my life."

"Still, a trial is a trial for a reason. It may be something that you won't be able to do."

"Such little faith," I said sarcastically.

"I just worry for you."

"Don't worry about me. You need to make sure to help her feel better."

"I'm only able to help her because you have been giving us the medicine."

"I'm allowed to help friends, there isn't a rule saying I can't help someone." She gives me a hug.

"Promise me you won't die in the trial?"

"I'm not going to die. I'm not going to leave you two to fend for yourselves." I fall back from the hug and pat Kisa's head before walking out the door. Quickly, I run back to Patsu City where my trial will be held. When I arrive, surrounded by the tallest buildings, there is a crowd circling Miss Yamaharu and two other Fourth Rankers. The Shadow Denizen, himself, stood in front of the Fours with the crowd bowing on their hands and knees. He may be old, but he looks young. I slowly walk through the crowd into the open space.

"Welcome, Maelynn Hatsuburi, to your Trial of the Fourth." I bow. "As you know, this trial will be similar to the other Trials." Gary Tsutsukage, the Shadow Denizen, walks towards me. Between the two of us, a small shadow grows and a table emerges from it with with some sort of vase. He stands on the other side, and I walk to the table.

"Today, Miss Hatsuburi, you will be given the task of protecting this vase. This vase is a replica of a vase made by a famous Alchemist, Hibe Yatsuhara, known for its properties and being priceless. You may be attacked at any time by not First, Second, and Third Rankers, but also by the Fourth Rankers." He leans in closer. "However, if you are unable to protect this vase, you will be stripped of your current status and someone close to you will be put under heavy surveillance so we know they aren't aiding you in staying here, for failure at such a momentous trial is not tolerated. We will know if the vase breaks" I swallow hard. "You have all of Patsu City as the field. You have twenty-four hours for this Trial. You have ten minutes to prepare yourself." The purpose of putting our status and someone close at stake is because of the risks and responsibilities it takes to become a Senmoka. If we can't show to be able to do even one thing, then we need to prove ourselves again by starting all over again.

I adjust the bottoms of my leggings and breathable black shirt, suited for dancing. With another nine minutes to go, I decide to do nothing. Some don't appreciate the wonders of doing nothing for a few minutes to clear the mind.

Ten minutes pass, the sun now appearing in the horizon. A large, low gong is sounded throughout all of Patsu. Everyone around me charges straight at me. Grabbing the vase, I immediately use my Speed to get through the crowd. As soon as I am out of reach, I run normally so that I may preserve the power and energy. My first aim is to find the most secluded locations in Wytsu and blend in with the darkness.

Before I can reach the nearest alley, a Third Ranker appears from the shadows and reaches out at me with an enlarged arm that transformed into that of a beast. Arm, a common locket power that can give multiple arms or take the form of another creature. I swerve to my right and bring my fist down to the back of his elbow, causing his arm to tremble and be paralyzed momentarily. I run around him and gain momentum to run along the wall to around the First Ranks lingering in the alley. On the other side of the crowd, another group of Third Rankers waited and charge at me. With some struggles, I manage to weave my way through the mob without anyone touching the vase, but two of them keep close to me as I run off.

With no time to think, I run down the side of the road to gain momentum to again run along the wall and then climb to the roof using my free hand. To my dismay, the two stayed behind me the entire time. One of them pulls a sword out from the sheath on his back and it starts heating up while the other inhales heavily. If I want to get away, I need to knock them out. The one who inhaled makes a high pitched scream that startles me, and the other swings his sword at me. I was able to dodge the sword and maneuver around him to chop at the back of his neck. At this point, I can't help but cover my ears and keep running to get out of the scream's vital range. About two minutes pass with this happening before I can manage to get behind him and kick his manly area, sending him to the floor of the roof in agony.

I quickly get down from the building and head to the nearest street occupied by Second Rankers. Second Rankers own stores or take their business to the street, but there are many cases of stores being abandoned once a business falls apart. Third Rankers don't come to these shopping areas because of the quality. They usually go to the pricey stores for the better quality products.

I come to a stop in middle of a crowd who start falling to their knees and bowing. There isn't a single person who doesn't know about my Trial, but Ones and Twos aren't allowed to participate directly. I maneuver around everyone to the closest shop. Closing the door behind me, vase in hand, I go up to the counter.

"W-welcome! What c-can I do for you?" The owner stumbled, quickly giving me a bow from his knees.

"I would like to know if there are any abandoned shops around here. I don't want to get anyone here hurt." If I asked someone this in the street, everyone may have started panicking with the thought of their businesses getting attacked.

"O-of course!" He points to the east. "About a mile down at the edge of the street is an old factory that no one uses anymore."

"Thank you." I turn to take my leave while he bows to me again, but as I go to rush out the door, a brunette rushes through the door and we run into each other. Shocked, I stumble and try to catch myself only to move backwards and drop my head onto the edge of the counter. I go unconscious from the impact.

* * *

October 7th, 1303 NB

"A-are you okay?" I try opening my eyes, but my eyes say no to opening because of the tremendous pain in my head. "Are you awake yet?"

"Leave me alone," I murmur. I put a hand to my face only to feel something slimy. I flinch, jumping up from my original position and opening my eyes quickly, only to find cake frosting on my hand. Looking around, I was probably in the back room of the sweet shop. I drop my hand before realizing something. I grab the person's shirt. "Where is the vase?!"

"Oh, that thing?" The guy calmly points to a broken vase next to me. My heart stops.

"So I dropped it…"

The stranger raised a finger to himself. "Actually, it didn't break when you dropped it. It slightly cracked, but I picked it up and tried carrying you along with it and it slipped." He smiles. I chamber my knees to my chest and kick the stranger's face.

"How dare you! Damn you!"

"Was that thing supposed to be important?"

I grab the collar of his light blue shirt. "It was very damn important! My future depended on that vase!"

He scratched his head. "Was part of your soul trapped in the vase or something? Why would a vase be so important?"

I push him away from me and grab my head. "I failed. Not only do I not pass the Fourth Ranker Trial, but I have to leave Patsu City and revert back to a First Rank!" As my heart burns with rage, I raise my hand towards the stranger, my eyes changing sky blue. The stranger glows and although covered by his jeans, I place the blue mark on his left shin. "You are going to stay sealed to me until I can get back my status, you bastard."

He looked uncomfortable. "Sealed, like… married?" I slap him hard.

"I can't believe I actually have to leave Patsu…" As I say that, I realize that Lily is also going to be brought into custody to make sure they don't let me stay with them! I storm out of the room, the stranger being dragged behind me from the unseen power of Taishiru; someone who is sealed cannot be too far away from the Taishiru unless he or she allows them to go a certain distance. I quickly head to her house. I need to tell her I am leaving and need to bring them with me to keep them safe. I run into the farm setting with fields and trees all around. By this time, the sun has begun to rise.

When the house is within sight, however, the Shadow Denizen and a few others stand in her open front door. I see Lily and her sister walking in handcuffs, the sister being carried in someone's arms.

I'm too late. Not only do I lose my status and lose my home, but I lose my closest friend and her sister. I wasn't able to protect them or myself. I get to keep my money, but my friends are more important. If I want to save them, I have to leave the country and get a status equal or greater than the Fourth Rank status, and who knows how long that is going to take. I also have to get stronger to face the Fourth Rankers.

With tears in my eyes and furrowed brows, I run back to my home to gather my belongings. Once I had everything in my backpack and duffle bag, since everything of mine could fit in these two bags, I take my leave of Patsu City with this bastard running to keep from being dragged. He's going to be my slave until everything goes back to normal.

Little did I know what I was getting into.


	2. Things Can Happen At Night

Edited and reposted 8-19-18: Editing of story dates/days.

Edited and reposted 12-14-17; Minor changes.

Edited and reposted 5-13-18: Minor changes.

This story is made with the help of Neeky-Chan, who is the creator of Hazel.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Things Can Happen At Night**

 **October 10th, 1303 NB (New Beginnings)**

We left Patsu City of the Shadow Country three and a half days ago, going northeast towards the Ice Country. Before we left, I had changed into clothing more fitting for travel: green travel pants, black shirt, and putting my hair in a ponytail. The sun is shining brightly above us.

"Maelynn!" the man grumbles as his body is dragged on the ground. He claws at the ground trying to get away.

"No, we need to get going." I continue walking. His body is dragging on the floor because of my Taishiru power; he has to stay within a certain distance of me until he fulfills his debt. He isn't happy about it, but I don't care. He put Lily and Kisa in danger. He made everything I worked for disappear in an instant because of his idiocy.

"But... But..." he slumps his head onto the ground, dragging his face in the dirt.

Patsu is in the middle of the Shadow Country, one of the larger countries of Wytsu. The Shadow Country is located in the northwestern region of Wytsu, and the Ice Country is a neighbor country located at the north side of Wytsu. Another option would be to go to the Wind Country, the island country in middle of Wytsu, but we would need a boat to get there. From Patsu City to the Ice Country, we first walk the path between the mountains to the Violet Forest, then we go through the Black Plains, reach a small town near the border, and then we cross the river. There is a river that separates each of the countries.

"Maelynn!" he starts clawing at the road again. "I don't like the dark!" I look at the dark forest in the distance and then back to him. The Violet Forest was, indeed, dark.

"Man up, will you?"

He starts crying.

"You made me lose everything. The least you can do is repay me by being a shield and work until I can go back to the city." Pretty much my slave, I tell myself.

"Then let's go somewhere else! The darkness is evil!"

I roll my eyes and ignore him. With the sun setting, the forest comes to life. The weird creatures of the world began wandering the forest. In a tree a few feet in front of me, green human eyes glitter as they watch us walk up to the forest. I notice the eyes looking over at the man being dragged.

With a grin, the figure spoke. "The darkness isn't so bad." Screeches came from the bats above her head. She quietly shushed them.

He gasps. "Hazel!" He tries to get up, but I keep dragging him along using the seal, refusing to let him on his feet. Ignoring the girl supposedly known as Hazel, I keep walking towards the forest. I have no interest in talking to people, nor do I want to delay my getting back up the ranks in another country. I have to get everything back. My job. My status. My life. Lily and sickly Kisa...

The woman, Hazel, jumps down in front of me. "Good evening, Yukino. Seems like you got yourself in trouble again. With a Pure One, no less." She was short, wearing a black hooded cloak, a short, dark red dress, black leggings, and brown knee-length boots. A blue bag slung over her shoulder, twin swords on her brown belt, and a bat on her shoulder. "Are you ever going to stay out of trouble?"

"I don't care if you know him, I need to get going to the next door country. No time to talk." I didn't want to waste time trying to figure out how she knew I have a Pure Power. I mean, she could have assumed my dragging him to be a locket power. Then again, my locket would be glowing.

Since I slowed down a tad so I could think, my slave who is named Yukino was able to stand up. "Save me! This girl is really mean to me!" He leaps towards Hazel in tears.

"Oh?" Hazel tilts her head, stepping to the side. After his face hits the ground, she pats his head. She then turns back to me. "You're walking in the Violet Shadows as the sun is setting. It's more dangerous the further you go, and the night sky keeps the creatures active. You'd have to be suicidal to walk around this forest." Yukino wasn't pleased to be dodged, crying even more.

"Yes, I know about the Violet Forest. I have lived in this country for quite some time. I am going to use this brat as a slave and shield until it kills him and I get everything back." I step to the side and walk around the brunette.

Hazel frowns, stepping in front of me again. "A shield? I won't let that happen." Behind her, glowing eyes started showing up menacingly. "Tell me what he did to warrant your vengeance against his life."

"It doesn't matter what happened, I don't have to explain myself to some girl in a forest." I turn away from the forest and Yukino's leg props up, being dragged once again with my Taishiru power. "I don't have time to argue or fight."

"Block her path." Hazel orders, her voice low. Four large bears, a pair of panthers, badgers, and foxes appear on the road. While owls, bats, and a couple vultures land in the trees. They all vary in forms of purple, black, silver and white. "Are you sure you're in such a hurry? Because you're definitely not in any hurry to keep Yukino safe."

In Wytsu, all of the animals and creatures aren't your everyday animals. The colors are way off, the personalities of the animals and creatures aren't what you would normally think, and there are some instances that you will find two types of animals mixed together, though it is uncommon to actually see two animals combined into one.

"He owes me big time, of course I don't care about how he feels right now!" I stomp the ground. I'm vulnerable to animals, knowing that my Taishiru power only works on people, and I'm not strong enough to physically fight this large amount of animals. Maybe three, but this is too much, even with my locket.

Yukino, on the other hand, completely ignoring everything, now has his attention on the bears. He stands in front of one that is a mix of white and purple. Yukino opens his arms for a hug, and the bear in return falls right on top of him to 'give him a hug.'

Hazel looks over at Yukino, a smile playing at the edge of her lips. Her green eyes move back to me. "Chill. Tell me what he did, and I might lead you through the forest. The residents of the forest dislike trespassers." The bat on her shoulder gives a small screech. She pulls out a dead lizard, giving it to the bat. It happily ate it. I gag. Yukino's arms flail from the sides of the bear. Slowly losing air.

"I already told you, I lost everything because of him, and now he is going to do whatever it takes to pay me back for it all! I seriously don't want to deal with this right now, I want to get out of here!" I stomp again.

Hazel shakes her head. "Berwald, could you please get off him?" She asks the bear. "I need to ask him what he did." When the bear gets off him, Yukino starts laughing and holds his arms out again. Hazel shakes her head. "Yukino! What did you do to ruin this woman's life?"

Yukino turns to Hazel. "Uh... What did I do to her life? All I did was run into a store to drop off some cake. Maybe I broke something, but I don't know."

I glare at Yukino in disgust.

Hazel raises an eyebrow. Sighing, she swung on her heel, easing up on her posture. "Yup. Sounds like an average day with you." She waved her hand, and the animals began relaxing, some retreating back into the purple forest. "Calm down and I'll lead you through the Violet Shadows." She told me. My eye twitches. Yukino is fixed on the bear that is now walking away. He tries running to hug it, but he falls on his face when his foot flies into the air. He can't run too far away from me due to the seal. He starts crying, and I roll my eyes.

After much dispute with myself, I hesitantly decide to follow, still upset with her. Yukino is dragging along, as well. Literally. If I am going through this forest, I may as well have whatever help I can get since I don't do so well in physical combat.

While walking backwards, she looks at me. "I'm Hazel. Who are you?"

I debate answering or not, having no sympathy for Yukino being dragged behind me. "Maelynn." I continue following.

Hazel keeps walking backwards. "Maelynn. Nice name. Especially for a Pure One." A dark violet panther came over and slid under her legs, lifting her onto it's back. "Cecil! You can let me walk, you know." Cecil gave a series of growls. "Oh. I guess that's fair."

"Stop calling me a Pure One. I don't like it." I adjust the bag on my back.

"Oh, sorry. It's a nickname I came up with for those with Pure Powers."

Yukino noticed the panther picking Hazel up, and was trying to usher a nearby bear to pick him up so he didn't have to be dragged along the ground anymore. Hazel looks behind at Yukino and rolls her eyes, but waves her hand for Henrietta to help him. A black and purple bear comes over and scoops him up in her mouth.

Yukino makes a quiet girly squeal. "Hazel! I'm being eaten!" Yukino squirms gently in the bear's mouth making dying noises before he fake dies, falling limp in its mouth.

Why did I seal this idiot to me? He's a child in an adult body! I look over to Yukino and he is trying to get saliva to fall out of his mouth to 'prove his death.'

"I know you aren't dead. Henrietta is carrying you like one of her cubs." Hazel remarked, not even looking at him.

Yukino keeps his head down and pouts. "You're no fun."

"How much longer is it going to take us to get through to the Ice Country or to the lake?" By lake, I am referring to the circular area of water in the middle of Wytsu that holds the island of the Wind Country.

Hazel whips her head towards me. "You want to go to the Ice or Wind Countries? We can't make it to the borders in a night! You would have been critter food before midnight if I wasn't guiding you! We'll head to my house to stock up and rest." I could have heard wrong, but I think I heard Hazel mumble something about chickens.

"I know it takes a while to reach either country, but the more time spent dawdling, the longer it will take to get to either country! The idiot will shield me from any attackers, It is all he is good for." The last bit I said quietly.

"There's no way I'm spending the entire night in the forest! The chickens will find us that way!" Hazel shook her head. "We're going to my house. You don't even have provisions to last a week! It's like you haven't thought this journey through."

I nearly collapse on the ground laughing. "Chickens?! Chickens are harmless!"

Hazel gives me a serious look. "That's what you think. You may laugh now, but they're no joke. They'll eat YOU if you let them." I don't respond and keep laughing.

The night grows darker, not much light with the crescent moon.

Yukino wiggles his arms around, extremely bored.

Gazing over, Hazel saw Yukino's squirming. "You're hungry, aren't you, Yukino?"

Yukino's eyes nearly pop out of their eye sockets as he snaps his head up from his pouting pose. "Bananas?!"

"Yes, Yukino. You can have bananas. Just don't eat them all like you did last time. They're hard to get here in the Shadow territory. It's hard getting the good bananas from the Water territory."

"Bananas, here I come," he says very slowly and quietly, rubbing his hands together.

"Take us home, Cecil." She told the panther. Cecil took a turn off the path, into the purple woods, Hazel gesturing for us to follow.

In the distance, between the trees, a dark building comes into view. It's a small cottage, ivy creeping up the walls. Hazel gets off Cecil and pulls out a key, unlocking the door. "Mind your step, I have baby animals running around while the mamas find food for their babies." I blink when I hear 'baby animals. When I walk inside the house, there really were tiny little creatures on the floor. I was trying hard not to show my happiness over their cuteness.

"I will try not to eat them," Yukino disclaims jokingly as he walks in. "Now gimme the bananas." He motions his pointer finger in the same way.

Hazel flips a light switch to turn on the light. Chuckling, she heads into another room that revealed to be the kitchen. On the counter was a bunch of bananas. "Don't eat them all, or I'll send you out there with the chickens." She threatened. Yukino crept to the bananas and slowly pulls one from the stem, watching Hazel. Hazel watches Yukino, hoping he won't eat them all.

I slowly walk around the babies, not wanting to step on any of them. "...uh... Water?" I try to ask nicely, but I'm still furious about all that happened.

"Oh, yeah. I can get you some." She answered. Without taking her eyes off Yukino, she grabs a cute raccoon mug, fills it up with water from the faucet, and holds it out to me. Yukino peels the banana he holds, taking a bite from the top.

Without a word, I take the water and take a few sips. My eye twitches when I realize it tastes different from the water I usually have. I takes a look around the floor, looking at the babies again, thinking about what I'm going to do about Yukino, who doesn't look like he can do anything except be weird. He has proved to be useless thus far.

"How do you two know each other?" I asked, but neither of the two respond, so I grunt and go back to randomly looking at the babies crawling around.

Hazel leaves two bananas on the counter for Yukino and puts the rest in the darkest cupboard she has after finally deciding she couldn't trust Yukino to not eat them all. The small brunette heads further into the house, turning on lights as she goes.

"Somewhere for me to sleep?" I ask, still not wanting to be nice, taking everything negatively. No response. I roll my eyes and look at the little babies on the floor. One of them was biting my shoe with their toothless gums.

Yukino finishes the banana in hand and begins peeling another, leaving the previous peel on the counter. While peeling, he left into the direction Hazel went in. Not knowing what to do before I sleep, I decide to play with the little babies. I sit on the floor and let them crawl towards me, letting them nibble on my clothing. A little cat creature, mix of black and silver hair, kept climbing up me, making me laugh.

"The forest and its animals are restless…" I didn't quite hear all of what Hazel said, but I can't help but try to hear more of what they were talking about, so I creep a little closer.

"It isn't making you 'chicken,' is it?"

"The chickens aren't the problem. They're a nuisance."

"You don't have to be so serious about it. Enjoy yourself." I imagine Yukino dancing around when he says this.

"I can be serious on occasion. I don't live in the city, after all. Anything new with you, my friend?"

"People trying to kill me cause I accidentally put things into ruin for everyone, flying pigs, a Taishiru sealing me though I didn't know they would come here-"

I stopped listening to what else he had to say. He knows that I am a Taishiru? No one should know about Taishiru, let alone finding one in the Shadow Country. Taishiru don't originate in the Shadow Country!

Taishiru originate in the Lightning Country and they refuse to leave with the exception of me. Only those of my bloodline are able to receive this power. My family is still back in my homeland in the Lightning Country, the only ones to currently have this power. No one here should know about my kind! Why are people suddenly learning about us?

A little panther baby swings its paws at my shoelaces.

"A Taishiru?" Hazel whistled. "You land yourself in the worst trouble, don't you dear? It sounds like you're stuck with her for a while. Any plans?"

"There isn't anything I can do about it but stick with her. It'll be fine. I'm no 'chicken.'" They laugh. I, however, tense up when the girl talks as if she also knows about the Taishiru, too. No one here should know! If people find out, I will not only be mocked, but hunted down to be sold to use my power for their sake! Pissed that dork and Hazel knows, I get up and storm outside, panther baby still clinging onto me. The door closed before any of the other babies could leave.

"First, I lose everything. Couldn't even get Lily and her sister. Now I find people who know about my power! I was told no one remembered us anymore!" I scratch my head, ignoring the rustling nearby. I start pounding at a nearby black tree. "No one should know!"

A kitchen knife sticks into the trunk I'm pounding at. I freeze and slowly look at the knife. When I slowly turn around, another knife heads in my direction. This time, I move out of the way, the kitchen knife hitting where my head would have been. I look in the oncoming direction and see a small yellow figure that vanishes instantly.

In the distance, I heard Yukino's whimpers. "You're so mean, Maelynn." I quickly look over at him and instantly give him a deathly glare. Two more knives from opposite directions aim for me again, barely dodging them. Just as the yellow figures appeared in the bushes, they disappeared. Knives fly around, cutting up all the trees. A weird chicken noise is heard from not too far from my current location. At the same time, the knives began to fly faster. I force myself to use my locket power, but the ground was too moist so I slipped into a mud pit.

Hazel quickly flipped up her hood and jumped down from a tree, drawing her swords. She knocked the knives out of their trajectory. "Get up! We can't stay here or we'll be killed!" She hissed. "Yukino! Chickens!"

I give her a deathly glare while standing up. "Why are you freaking here?!"

"Chickens?!" Yukino brings his hands to his head.

* * *

 **Just a moment ago...**

 _Yukino, holding a bear cub, falls on his back with a foot in the air and starts getting dragged again. He slides against the wall all of the way to the door, scaring all the little babies, breaking the door latch opening the door, and sliding into the dark. The babies showed interest in going outside and started moving out._

 _Watching Yukino being pulled by a mysterious force was both amusing and terrifying. "Yukino!" She followed after him, momentarily giving the babies a stern stare. "Your mother wouldn't appreciate you being eaten by chickens!" She said._

 _Yukino cries. "I don't want to be eaten by chickens!" Though he claws at everything to hold something, he is pulled against the door which opens against its will, pulled into the forest._

 _"I wasn't trying to frighten you!" Hazel exclaims to Yukino. She hurries after the guy, closing the door behind her. "Is she nuts? I don't even like being out after midnight!"_

* * *

 **And now, we return to the knife war...**

After nearly being torn apart by the flying knives, I decide to head back to the house.

"Chicken and minions!" Yukino exclaims pointing at the yellow figures pursuing us.

"Will you shut up already?!" My eyes and his arm light up followed by silence. He sheds some tears again.

"He's right, you know! Ugh!" Hazel deflects more knives, having followed . She throws senbon needles towards the holes and guesses where that stupid minion was headed. The needles sunk deep into the ground. "The minions are just as annoying!" She growled. There is a squeal from a hole, but that didn't stop the others from popping out and throwing their knives.

The house is barely in sight. As we approach, a red and yellow chicken walks up to the door, twice the size of a normal chicken would be. This chicken also has metal feathers covering its own wing feathers.

"Oi!" Hazel yelled. "You leave my house alone, you evil chicken!" She put more pressure into her run. She dodges more knives thrown towards her from the yellow minions, narrowly missing a knife that zoomed by her side. Both her swords were ready for a fight with the dreaded chicken. The chicken twists its neck towards Hazel and extends its metal covered wings, charging straight for her. She swings her swords down when the chicken takes a swing at her. "This is my home!" She grunts, "And you can't have it!" From her right, another chicken pops out from the bushes and knocks her off her feet. This chicken is green and orange.

The enlarged chicken size does scare me, quite honestly.

"Yukino! I'd rather not fight them off myself!" Hazel exclaims. She manages to land a few blows on the chicken, denting the metal. Clang, clang, clang! And the occasional war cry from the chicken.

Yukino sighs. "You mean you can't beat a chicken?" He says jokingly. He runs up to help her with the two chickens. The chicken with red and yellow feathers takes notice of him and charges at him. He gasps and runs away, no surprise to me.

"Of course I can!" Hazel cries indignantly, slashing her swords harder, penetrating the metal. "But it's better to get rid of two quickly than fight a whole battalion that could be on their way here!"

The red and yellow chicken catches up to Yukino and claws him with its metal talons. I freak out inside when the talon makes contact with Yukino's upper arm. I'm about to run in to somehow help when Yukino gives me a cold glare, telling me to stay put. With that glare, there was nothing I could do. Why is the wimpy Yukino suddenly so composed? Glancing at his arm, I notice that there wasn't any blood to be found, but I did see some white specks falling onto the earth beneath him. Yukino grabs the light-weight chicken, the armor being strong but not heavy, and swings it into a nearby black tree, banging up the metal armor on its head and ceasing the chicken's movements.

Still one more chicken to take care of, but… why?! Hazel is doing her very best and struggling, but Yukino is hardly trying and isn't getting hurt! Does he have a defensive locket power? The chicken surely should have severely wounded his arm, he shouldn't be unscathed!

Hazel eventually slices through the armor, a dead chicken at her feet. She flicks the blood off the blade. Sighing heavily, she growls. "That won't be the last we see of them. One day, they'll learn who the ruler of the Violet Shadows is. Me." She then enters her home, leaving me and Yukino in silence.

I grab Yukino's arm that was hit earlier and investigate it, but I still can't find any wound marks. He wears a short sleeve shirt, so there isn't any other indication that he was hit just by looking at his clothing.

"Why aren't you hurt? Are you using the power of a locket? You can't be that strong of an idiot! Even she had a hard time against those things, and she looked more realistic in how the fight should have gone for you if not worse! So why are you so strong?!" He looks at me confused.

"That chicken was really light and weak, that's all." He laughs.

"But you smashed it's head in!"

"I'm just lucky." He smiled happily, shrugging.

"But you aren't a lucky person!" She realizes she could force him to say. "I command you to tell me why you are so strong."

"I trained," is all he says, smiling. I know that he is in the right with his response, since training does make one stronger, but I know he's hiding more! Before I could say anything else, he whistled as he entered the house. Not pleased, I storm into the house which upset a few of the animals roaming the floor. Hazel was settling the babies, giving me a glare when I disturbed them. A quiet song left her lips and sang until most of the babies were asleep. When that was done, she retreated to her room without a word.

Not caring about the refusal to communicate, I head to the guest room. With the one bed in the room, I take the entire bed. When Yukino is about to enter the guest room, I glare at him.

"Umm... I think we-"

"Not happening. Go sleep somewhere else." I regret not having closed the door, but doesn't need to do that to keep Yukino away. With his left arm glowing because I mentally tell him to sleep on the couch, he goes away from the room and sits on the couch. He mumbled to himself.

* * *

 **October 11th, 1303 NB**

Morning comes around. I slowly get up and walk into the kitchen without changing. When I walk by the couch, I see a pile of babies. I know Yukino is somewhere underneath the pile. Shrugging off the unimportant matter, I look for anything simple to eat before heading out. Leaning against the door frame, Hazel folds her arms and silently watched me in her kitchen. Realizing she was awake and watching, I close the open cupboards I'm looking into and walk back to the guest room to pack up my things.

When I come back out of the guest room, I find that Hazel was nearly done cooking. There were hash browns, eggs, and bacon. On the table was a stand for the bananas along with some cups of water. Smelling the food, I realize that I haven't eaten since midday yesterday, but I didn't want to stay here any longer than I needed to. "Don't need to make anything for me. I can manage on my own."

"Too late~" Hazel sang to Maelynn. "It's not like I poisoned it." She turned her head to Yukino's direction. "Come to the table, Yukino. Remember that we need to eat, too, so don't go eating all of the food."

An arm appears from the pile of baby creatures. It slowly rises, and the babies slowly slide off. He smells the smell, and nothing can stop him. "Where is it?" Yukino quickly gets up and sits at the table, begging like a little puppy.

In disgust, I head to the door. "We shouldn't waste anymore time here."

"I don't want to goooooo!"

"Are you sure you don't want to eat? It'll take all day to get to the next town." Hazel called. She set the finished food on the table, beginning to eat her own. Most of hers slathered in ketchup. Yukino, still at the table, looked happily towards the food being placed on the table, eager to stuff everything in his face.

I clench my fist and grunt. I'm not always this angry, but too many things are happening! They know about Taishiru, Yukino is secretly strong defensively with some locket power I've never known about, and I want to get going out of this country to quickly build up money and return to get Lily. Angrily and with folded arms, I sit at the table.

Yukino eats the banana happily.

Hazel sighed. "At least eat something. I'm going to get ready." She said, putting her empty dishes away and walking into her room.

I roll my eyes. When she is out of my sight, I quickly eat the food in front of me then gets rid of the evidence. Yukino finishes his food, but sadly looks at his plate, wishing he had more. I walk up to the door and wait for Yukino, who keeps watching his plate as if food will magically appear on it.

Hazel reappears wearing a short, purple dress, black leggings, her brown knee-length boots, black hooded cloak and dual swords at her hips. A dark green and black duffle bag hanging off her shoulder. She rummaged through her cupboards for food that she could carry that wasn't super heavy, like cans, but also wouldn't spoil if she brought it along. Satisfied with her haul, she turns to the two of them, but pauses when she sees her friend's expression. "Yukino, you ate it all. Quit staring at it."

Yukino looked up at her with puppy eyes. I turn to Hazel. "You act like you're coming with us out of the Shadow country."

"Eh, I'm debating. Even if I'm not, I'll have enough if I decide that I am!" Hazel smiles at her. "Besides, I can ask a friend to watch my home if I do. I like to be prepared." She looks over at Yukino. "Why? You know that isn't going to work on me," regarding the puppy eyes. Yukino knew so well as well, but he didn't want to believe it. He picked up the plate and put it away.

I'm not pleased. "Only through the forest."

"Thank you, dear." Hazel beamed for Yukino, ignoring me. "Let's get going!" I roll my eyes, not liking that she is taking control, and follow Hazel since she knows how to get out of here, making Yukino hasten his dish cleaning.


	3. Motivating Strangers

Edited and reposted 8-19-18: edit in the dates/days.

Edited and reposted 5-13-18: minor detail updates and wording.

I am writing songs for this story. You can find the links to the songs in my profile: Austin101.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Motivating Strangers**

 **October 15th, 1303 NB (New Beginnings): Afternoon, through the Violet Forest.**

We departed the morning of the 12th, walking for three and a half days.

"Are we there yet?" We're still walking through the Violet Forest, and it doesn't feel like we're getting anywhere. Yukino has been bugging Hazel to get bananas all afternoon.

"Nope! Still have another day to go," Hazel replied, being the one to lead me and Yukino out here. I give a heavy sigh. Hazel tossed a banana to Yukino to get him to stop chattering in her ear. Yukino quickly catches the banana, peels it, and slowly takes a bite into it.

We have already been walking for half a day, I didn't want to go through another half a day in this miserable forest. As I thought this, more noises were heard from all around, and I jumped without realizing it, including the white panther Hazel is mounted upon. The white panther has light purple paws, muzzle, and at the tip of the tail.

Fifteen minutes later, I look through the trees to find an open flat field of black grass, quickly turning to Hazel. "You said it would be half a day before we get out!"

"Yea, I lied. Was getting pretty tired of your impatient questions." Hazel admitted. "Like I said before, there's still a few days until we get to the small town. Doesn't it feel great that we're out of the shadows faster than you thought we would?" A soft growl came from the panther. "Oh, yea, Rory. The best feeling."

"Come on, now," I hear behind me. I find Yukino trying to get the attention of a nearby bear but instantly turn away, uncaring about what happens. When I pass by the last of the black and purple trees, I took a heavenly deep breath. I was at peace with the change in scenery. It didn't last long, though.

"I love you," I hear behind me and I jump around only to find Yukino hugging the arm of the bear. With a sigh of relief, I turn back around to the view. The wind blew from the left, my hair flying left. ...I mean, the wind is coming from the right. ...wait… what?

Hazel beat me to noting the wind. "The wind is blowing from opposite directions. We wouldn't want the weather to turn on us so soon." Hazel grinned, her green eyes flickering over towards me. "From here, it'll take a couple days to reach the town, then a couple more days to reach the border of the Shadow and Ice territories."

"Whatever." I turn away from her while putting my hair into a bun to keep it from blowing everywhere. As I do, I see a large cloud of smoke in the distance, followed by the delayed sound of an explosion. The field went quiet before the creatures began to chatter in the forest again. Now that we're out of the forest, I don't need to go anywhere with her. I'll have to ditch her somehow…

The bear Yukino was hugging is startled and runs into the forest. "Nooooo!" Yukino falls to his hands and knees in despair.

"...Let's go find out what that was. Onward, Rory!" The white panther she is riding on moves forward in the direction that she is pointing, towards the explosion.

I, on the other hand, want to avoid going towards possible danger. I don't want to get stopped by anything unnecessary, including an explosion. If people are hurt, there should be enough room to get away from the fire and extinguish it. I walk to the right away from the explosion. If I leave her company, it doesn't bother me in the least, and Yukino has to follow me. I'm not going to go anywhere near trouble, only to the Ice Country.

After ten minutes of walking in another direction than where Hazel and the explosion are, I think I hear something calling my name. I turn to my left and find Hazel on the white panther coming my way.

"Whatever it is, no!" I start running away from her, grabbing at my locket that holds the power to speed up. Before I could do anything, however, a massive figure appeared and prevented me from moving forward.

"You really know how to make sushi?!" The figure puts its hands on my shoulders, my heart beating hard. I turn to Hazel who gives me a massive grin. That… she…. Freaking! UGH!

"Of course I don't! I can only make so many things, but sushi isn't one of them!" As I say that, his hands slide off me and he starts to cry. This man is in his twenties, nearly twice as tall as I am. His clothing consisted of something you would find when traveling in a desert or hot place, and he wore a red bandana across the top of his head. Seeing how sensitive he is and suddenly feeling horrible, I shrug helplessly, unsure of what to do.

"Tyba, you know that I can make sushi. We can eat sushi for dinner." Another figure appeared beside me. He… was extremely short, maybe half as tall as me.

"But you're sushi tastes like s-"

"What did I tell you about language?"

"Sorry…" The midget walks over to Tyba and pats his hand.

"We'll find somewhere to eat sushi when we get to the Ice Country."

My heart stops.

"Oh, so you're going to the Ice Territory, too?" Hazel asks. Please no!

"That's where you're heading?" The short one asks back. I grab at my hair angrily.

"Yukino, what do you think about them joining us?" The lot of them turn to Yukino who is still mourning about the loss of his bear after being startled. He didn't hear her question because of that. "I don't see why not." She doesn't bother asking me, and I throw my arms in the air.

"No! Let's leave them to whatever they're doing and let's go!" I start walking away, but the big guy, Tyba, once again steps in my way and gives me a surprise hug.

"Let's travel together! It'll be fun!" I struggle, trying to get out of his grasp. But it 'twas in vain. I go limp, unable to get out of his grasp.

"Let's get going, Yukino!" Hazel calls over to him, but he continues to lay face first in the dirt. As soon as Tyba let me go, I start speed walking in the direction of the Ice Country. The two strangers watch in awe as Yukino's limp body slides against the dirt as I walk on well ahead of them. Hazel points in the same direction and the panther starts walking in that direction as well. The duo follow because they are hypnotized by this strange… thing going on.

While walking, a golden butterfly flutters in front of my face for a brief moment before flying on. Hypnotized by its gleam, I watch for a moment until it disappeared from the human eye. The others didn't notice, being a ways behind me and chatting about whatever weird people talk about.

* * *

We walk for a few hours before the flat plains of black grass start to form hills in the distance. For some reason, this Tyba person would occasionally try catching up to me to talk to me, but I kept my distance. I don't want to talk to anyone. I just want to become a Fourth Ranker. While it's true that my strength isn't all that impressive, the things that really shine are my stamina, movements, and the fact that I focus entirely on enemy vital nerves to end fights quickly. None of the people in Patsu know of my being a Taishiru.

Also for the duration of walking, Yukino would tripping over the tall black grass. I increased the distance required for him to be near me so that I may stay away from him and everyone else. I'm still very unhappy to know that Yukino has some locket that gives him impressive defenses. It's a waste, knowing he is an idiotic brat, and I plan to take the locket for myself. It isn't possible to use a locket that was made using someone else's soul, but perhaps the locket casing can be used to harvest some of his defensive power. If a locket is used enough, the power emitted from the soul object covers the locket like dust, therefore being possible to get some of that " power dust" on my own soul object and have a change to merge with the "dust." The possibility of it working is under 3%, though.

Hazel and Saku, the short older brother of the two strangers, were quietly following, the panther seeming happy to be in the tall grass.

There isn't really much to see. Literally just black grass everywhere I look except from behind where the Violet Forest is located in the far distance. A pink doe decides to pop up from the black grass and trodd further ahead towards the hills, which was a pleasant change of scenery. I've grown up always seeing these animals look and be different, but I've been told that they weren't always like this, that the animals used to have limited colors and be really simply creatures unlike nowadays. To me, this is normal, seeing animals like this.

I begin going up the hill, the same one the doe coincidentally took. Everyone else is still well behind me, and I find myself smiling again. It's been a while. The breeze feels nice, a beautiful change in scenery, everything makes me forget about everything and want to stay here. I walk to the top of the hill, now with my arms out.

"This is really nice…" I open my eyes when I hear a loud crunch somewhere in front of me.

I look down to see a pile of bones peeking out from the black grass. And that wasn't there before. The doe from earlier trods in front of me near the pile, and it suddenly disappeared, blood flying in all directions.

That's when I saw it. A filthy green piranha jumping out of the ground above the grass.

Just like the Denizen, there are only one race of animals or creatures that hold some sort of power for each element. These piranhas are not one of those creatures. These piranhas simply swim in earth rather than water and drown if they are in water for too long. I skimmed over the inhabitants of the Black Plains when I was looking up information about the Shadow country, not thinking it would be important to know. But now I wish I knew any bit of information I could about these things.

I immediately run down the hill the way I came, the others just arriving at the bottom of the hill.

"Awe, look, she missed us," I heard Yukino call out with two thumbs up in the air. As I ran, a few piranhas jumped out of the ground towards me but missing, causing Yukino to squeal like a little girl. "Angry fish!"

"These little buggers again," Saku sighs.

"She'll be fine when she gets down here," Hazel points out. Just like she said, I was fine when I reached the bottom of the hill. The piranhas didn't go any farther than the bottom of the hill. "The hills are their homes, and they're very territorial."

"What are we supposed to do then? That would mean we have to go around all these hills or deal with these piranhas, and I don't want to take a longer trip than needed!" I stomp my feet. Saku rolled his eyes at me.

"Deary, there's nothing to worry about. We'll get through here no problem, no one's going to get hurt."

"Do show me what you mean, then," I snap. Without a word, the big younger brother Tyba walks up to the bottom of the hill, gets on one knee, and places both hands on the earth hiding in the black grass.

A few seconds pass, and the grass around his hands begin to freeze. Another few seconds pass and the ice starts spreading up the hill until it finally covered the entire hill.

Hesitant and shaking, I step back. "W-what?"

Saku sighs, applauding Tyba. "Tyba is a Candidate for the Ice Trials."

"Ice Trials? Does that mean…?"

"Yep. The Ice Denizen is dying."

 **A Wytsu status, which no one can achieve under normal circumstances, is Candidate.** A Candidate has one of the eight elemental powers that a Denizen would have. A Candidate receives their power, they aren't born with it.

It all starts with the Denizen, as we are told. When a Denizen is knowingly about to die, parts of his or her power seeps away from him or her, and that power seeks out worthy Candidates to become the next Denizen of that element. When a Denizen dies suddenly, the power entirely leaves the Denizen and seeks out worthy candidates, which usually leads to finding more Candidates than the former rule.

The purpose of the Candidate Trial is to gather the Candidates when able and make them fight to the death. The purpose of fighting to the death is to find the true Candidate meant to be the next Denizen of that element: **no two people may live and hold half or all of the Denizen elemental power for too long.** If too many have the Denizen power for too long, then the weaker ones find their energy being taken away from them until they die. Once a Candidate kills another Candidate, the fallen Candidate's power is absorbed by the winner.

Tyba is an Ice Candidate. So that means he has to find other Ice Candidates and kill them if he wants to live.

"I've beaten a few other Candidates so far, which is why I'm able to freeze an entire hill now. In the past, it would have taken me quite some time," Tyba comments.

"Yep." Saku nudges his frother.

I tremble. Now that I know he's a Candidate, and now that I'm basically a First Ranker again, I slowly start to bow. Before I bring myself to do a full bow, Yukino starts laughing and running towards him. I flinch because if you don't follow protocol, those with higher status can kill you without punishment!

"Freeze my head!" Yukino puts a finger on his head. Tyba laughs back and obliges, freezing only the scalp of his head. Yukino skips in circles.

"I wish you good fortune, then," Hazel comments to Tyba while still sitting on the white panther.

Saku smiles and nods his head, pleased with his younger brother. But none of them understand the situation! You're supposed to bow to those with status! Hazel turned to me, realizing my conundrum.

"It's fine. None of us care about the status rules."

"Huh?"

"It's common to find random people in a forest or somewhere like this place, and they usually don't care about the rules of status. We all just want to be equal."

"That's right," Yukino grins. "Status is for weak people who just want to beat up other people and take over everything." He taps his still frozen scalp with his fist and laughs. "We want everyone to be equal and just have fun!"

My entire body twitches. This just isn't right! You're nothing if you don't have status to earn money and be able to support others, you can't do any of that if you don't have anything!

"Onward!" Yukino puts a hand on his frozen scalp and points with the other up the hill, making his way up the hill. The frozen pointy black grass makes for good footing. The panther Hazel is on begins to climb along with Saku and Tyba. With clenched fists, I stomp after them.

"Once I get to the Ice Country, I'm going to ditch these people," I note to myself angrily. "These people are crazy."

"Let's see what you got!" Tyba challenges Yukino. They both start running down, but it's clear who's going to win: Tyba. Yukino stumbles around and falls a few times onto the pointy frozen grass while Tyba storms down without a problem. Yukino just can't do anything. He has no strength and no speed, but he has some locket that gives him incredible defense.

"Loosen up," Saku said while hitting my back, nearly making me lose my balance. "I can tell that something horrible happened, but that's all in the past."

"I don't want your help. I just need to get my status back and come back here to save my friend."

"Oh? So this is for a friend? Then let me ask you this: do you think this friend of yours would be happy to see you so angry and hateful?"

"Don't talk to me like you know everything."

"You're right, I don't know everything. But I do know this: all we can do is move forward and become even stronger so that we can do what we need to do. I don't have anything back home that I need to do, but I made some terrible mistakes and hurt my brother. There's nothing I can do right now to apologize to Tyba. All I can do right now is support him and be there for him during the Ice Trials. When everything's all over, I'll likely be strong enough to become a Guard for him." Denizen have two Guards to protect them and to do anything they ask them to.

"So you're just telling me to get stronger and live life while a friend is in danger?"

"Yes. There's probably nothing you can do except to become stronger and make more friends. You can get help if you make friends to rescue your friend."

What he's saying isn't false, but I don't want to accept it. I would just like to be able to go save Lily and Kisa now. But I can't. I already planned on working to get stronger so I can save them. But I need to do it as fast as possible.

"Push-ups!" I hear Tyba call out at the bottom of the hill with Yukino. Yukino attempts and fails to do very many push-ups while Tyba speeds through them easily. No-good-Yukino. "Sit-ups!" Ignoring them and Saku, I walk down the hill, Tyba freezing each hill we came across in the Black Plains.

* * *

 **October 17th, 1303 NB: Late Afternoon**

It's been two days of walking through the Black Plains. The sun is setting and the moon is in the sky. I love the night. Everything looks and feels more beautiful during the night. Makes me want to dance my night waltz. Kind of hard to see where I'm going when the black grass makes it harder to see where I'm going, but the moonlight helps with that. Which is really nice.

"There's supposed to be a town somewhere, right? It's supposed to be the midway point from the Black Plains to the border of the Ice Country."

"That would be correct," Tyba confirmed. "I also checked the best route to get there back when we were in the Fire Country."

"Good to see you being a bit more friendly," Hazel comments, and I immediately turn away.

"Whatever. Still doesn't change the fact that I lost everything because of him."

"Nope. It doesn't change that fact." I puff my cheeks and continue walking.

"It's because you're starting to like me, isn't it?" The big guy, Tyba, smiled pointing to himself.

"Of course not," I remark, but I have to admit that he is starting to rub off onto me. Both he and Saku.

"Land-ho!" Yukino yells directly into my ear, causing me to react with a jab to a nerve on his side and sending him to the ground.

"Don't do that!" Although I hurt him, I don't care. I heed his words and look in the distance. It was faint, but that definitely isa town in the distance. Without another word, I start running towards the town, already at the bottom of the last hill.

"I'll beat you to the town!" Tyba yells out to Yukino and everyone else, making a run for the town as well, unfreezing the rest of the hill they were on. Saku jumps around everywhere to avoid the piranhas, Hazel and the panther quickly got off the hill without any worries, however Yukino was skipping with high knees while squealing, trying to get away from the piranha attack that were happy to have their freedom to attack again. As I run, Tyba and the panther run past me, mentally bothering me since I pride myself in my speed. Guess I have more work to do.

* * *

We finally reach the town, but it wasn't what I thought it would be: the town is nearly deserted, very few people around, all being First Rankers, meaning poor people. The people here also look lifeless as if they have no energy, sitting against the small house walls outside on the dirt path. I walk along the dirt path towards the middle of the town where a fountain stands. The water is still running, and it looks like the majority of the people can be found here.

"Look, dead people!" Yukino exclaimed loudly.

"No, Yukino. They're not dead," Hazel responds, and he leans his head back.

"It's so boring here!"

"If you're so bored, go chop some trees and build yourself a house," Saku sighs. "It's what we had to do when we told our parents we were bored or didn't know what to do." I laugh.

"The Lightning Country was always exciting. I really wish I could go back and visit," Yukino mumbles.

"You actually managed to go around all of Wytsu, Yukino?" Hazel asks.

"Yep! It didn't take very long!" Yukino puffed his chest and gave a large smile. "I even made really good friends in the Lightning and Wind Countries! I don't think one of them really likes me, though. I must have said something, I guess, but I don't remember what I said…"

"Typical," Hazel sighs.

"We actually ran into Yukino before, but he didn't see us as he was in a hurry or something," Saku sighs again.

"Really?!" Yukino brings his fingers to his brain as if it will make him be able to remember.

"When he ran by, I had just finished with my third Ice Trial victory. There was someone chasing him, I think," Tyba mentions.

"Everyone's after me," Yukino sighs. "I'm just that good looking."

"Or you break and ruin things for everyone and they want to kill you," Hazel smirks.

"That, too, but let's not get that mixed up with the fact that I'm just so good looking." He poses himself to try and look masculine. I, for one, just thought he was hilariously stupid looking in that pose. I was curious about something, though.

"What kind of powers do you have right now, Tyba? You said that you beat three other Candidates, and a Candidate is supposed to take on the Ice power that the losing Candidate had?"

"Heh, you want to know?" He motions me to come closer, but he just boops my nose when I get close enough. "Sorry, I don't share that information, who knows when you have someone lurking around watching what you do. What I will tell you, though, is my own personal unique Ice Power that allowed me to win my fights. It's so powerful that I am very confident it won't matter if people know of it." He reaches down and freezes a small portion of the ground. He stands up and waves his hand in a strange way. Looking down, I see what's going on: the ice that he froze is now dancing like liquid, but it's still frozen. "I can make Ice that I touch move around like water and still be as hard as ice. You can't find anyone else who can actually manipulate the ice like this." I suddenly got extremely excited with Tyba's abilities.

"How much ice can you manipulate like that?!"

"I can manipulate a massive amount. This is nothing!" He laughs, proud with himself.

"I can't wait to see your next fight!"

"Who knows when it'll happen, but I'll make sure to let you know so you can watch me be amazing!" He raises his hand for a fist pump, and I gladly oblige.

"Girls," Yukino mumbles. "Getting so excited over weird things." As he says this, Hazel pulls a banana out of her bag.

"Hey, Yukino," she calls to him. He looks over and starts jumping to reach the banana which is out of reach due to her height on the panther.

"Gimme!"

"You're excited over a simple banana, so don't criticize others with what they like."

Yukino puffs his cheeks. "Fine. Whatever. Gimme!" Hazel drops the banana and Yukino snatches it. Like a wild monkey, he runs off so he can eat it peacefully.

"Do you know when you'll get to fight," I ask Tabu.

"Nope. I'm just heading towards the Ice Country so that I can meet up with other Candidates heading that way and challenge them."

"I hope we don't have to wait long."

"When two Candidates are in the same area, the Denizen who acts as the referee appears and orders the Candidates to appear somewhere. For the Ice Trials, the referee is the Lightning Denizen, Pachi Kashim."

"You have to become the Ice Denizen, or I won't ever forgive you!" I'm not entirely sure why I am rooting for him. I don't even know him.

"You can count on me!" Tyba gives me a thumbs up and I snicker. While I hated the idea of running into people when I was mad, I'm glad I met Tyba and Saku. They can help me rescue Lily and Kisa when I'm strong enough to go back and confront the Shadow Denizen as a Fourth Ranker.

"So… what now?"

Hazel looks over to me and Tyba. Saku does the same with his hands still in his pockets. "Rory here should get some rest, so I say we find somewhere to stay until morning." Now that I think about it, the sun is already partially behind the horizon.

Every time I see the sun go down, I think about myself. I get very selfish in the aspect that I want to dance in the night and that I have to dance around when I have an attacker. My Night Waltz. It's always been my time to shine in the night, always has when I were to perform back in Patsu City. I have to try and not be so worried anymore, though. I just need to get stronger.

"I'm going to get a drink at the fountain, then," Tyba announced. Saku followed him with a smile, still proud of his brother. I watch them until they are no longer in sight.

"I'll see you later, too," Hazel says as she asks the panther to pick somewhere to lay down and rest.

We all rest for the night.

* * *

 **October 18th, 1303 NB: Morning**

I wake up to a loud commotion. I quickly get onto my feet and look around to find a bunch of people roaming the path, trying to get to the fountain area. I see Hazel nearby and run over to her.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"No clue."

Just then, a voice echoes from the skies above us. "Two Candidates are in the town. If you are an Ice Candidate, please make your way to the center plaza." I look up to see a man in a yellow robe. "I, the Lightning Denizen, am the referee for the Ice Trials. The battle will commence in ten minutes." The Lightning Denizen flashes and disappears just like lightning.

"We actually get to see Tyba fight another Candidate so soon?! ...I'm actually kind of happy to see Tyba fight, he seemed really anxious to find another Candidate to fight." I turn to Hazel with a smile, but she didn't return the gaze. Instead, her eyes were closed and her fingers interlocked with each other. "...what? You aren't excited?"

"No. I'm not." Without another word, Hazel pats the panther below her and they change course, towards the center plaza.

Confused, I follow close behind. "I wish Yukino were back by now, he'd be happy to see Tyba fighting, too. He really needs to stop being such an idiot, getting excited over one single banana." My heart races as I can't wait to see Tyba in action.

When Hazel and I reach the center plaza, Tyba stands on one side of the fountain and the Lightning Denizen stands in the middle, blocking my view of the competition.

"Both Candidates are here." The Lightning Denizen raises his right hand. "I commend you two for being here, taking pride in the power of Ice and in yourselves. I pray that the winner will continue to work towards becoming the next Denizen, and I pray that the defeated will be able to rest in peace knowing that they did their best." He pauses. "Let the battle of Ice begin!" The Lightning Denizen disappears like lightning again. Tyba gets into a fighting position with his large body, his arms up in front of his face.

But that isn't where I am looking. My excited heart from before is now a stopped heart. Saku's fists are also clenched at the sight.

Yukino is posed on the other side of the fountain from Tyba with a serious expression on his face.

* * *

 **The Country of Lightning**

A woman in black with some purple patterns rolls up back to her computer with multiple screens after having gone to get something to eat. Typing away, her ear starts buzzing. She brings her finger to her ear and presses something.

"Yes, *chingu?"

A man's voice came through the earpiece. "The next Ice Trial battle has just been declared."

"Yea, yea, I already know that bit. I figured it out as soon as he appeared in that little town. You should be thanking me for placing a tag on the Lightning Denizen, no?"

"While we do appreciate it, my father is still a man to be respected and I promise you that you will regret it if you use him in any other way."

"I get it, I get it, don't worry, chingu." The woman starts typing away again. "He isn't and likely won't be my target at any point of time. You know who my target is."

"Yes, I do. Please take care of him. We can't let him become a Denizen and ruin my father or any of the other Denizen. It's what I'm paying you to do."

"A very considerate amount at that, too. Don't worry, I'll take him out before you can say 'sweet cheeks.'"

"'Sweet cheeks.'"

"Awe, how sweet of you." As the woman makes that remark, the earpiece goes silent and she laughs. He hung up. "Alright, Yukino. You're time is nearly up." She hits the 'enter' button. As she does so, she raises her other hand and waves her fingers, purple sparks between her tech-gloved fingertips. "Better be prepared to die, chingu."

* * *

 ***Chingu - Korean for "friend"**


	4. Decisions

Edited and reposted 8-19-18: edit in the dates/days. Minor changes.

Edited and reposted 5-13-18: minor changes

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Decisions**

 **October 18th, 1303 NB: Ice Candidate Trial Fight**

"What kind of joke are you playing at, Yukino?" I reach through to the front of the crowd with the white panther right behind me, Hazel on the panther. Saku was a little off to the side, closer to the side Tyba is on.

"This isn't a joke," Hazel murmured. "Yukino really is an Ice Candidate."

I have too many thoughts going through my head. "He isn't strong! He isn't fast! He has some locket for his weirdly strong defenses. He is a complete idiot! There's no way he can be one!"

"But he is one, and there is nothing we can do about it."

"Yukino, I demand that you stop this at once and talk through this!" I wait for him to move, but he doesn't move. My Taishiru power, the seal that I placed on him, isn't taking effect?!

"Miss, I advise you to refrain from taking any action." The Lightning Denizen, Pachi Kashima, appeared in front of me. Being up close, I clearly see his black formal pants, black button up shirt, and a bright yellow long coat with black and white patterns. His black hair had a hint of yellow at the tips, spiked up. Out of respect when talking to a Denizen, I shut my mouth and take a few steps back with my head lowered. Is there really nothing I can do to stop this?

The Lightning Denizen one again disappears in an instant, and Tyba starts walking towards Yukino. "I really don't want to kill you, but I can't die now. On the other hand, I don't think I can lose to you; you aren't fast and you aren't strong. When it comes to a fight, everything comes down to brute strength!" He leaps forward and his massive fist makes contact with Yukino's torso, sending him flying back into the building and through to the other side. "You're nothing compared to the other Candidates I fought. Don't get me wrong, I do like you. Don't take this personally."

My heart won't stop racing. Hazel and Saku both continue to look unsettled by this demeanor.

From the rubble, Yukino stands up slowly. When he is clearly visible and out of the building's shadow, I see that he doesn't have any marks on him except a weird mark on his left hand.

"I don't take it personally," Yukino replied. "I can't allow myself to die. I don't want to kill you, either." Tyba once again leaps and punches Yukino again. Yukino stands up again, but with a few more marks on his body.

"I'm tired of seeing death. I want it all to end. Why does everyone else have to be so blind…" Yukino clenches his fist, the weird marks slowly disappearing. "I'm not strong, and I'm not fast, this I know. I know that I can't just beat up whoever I want. I have no strength. But at least I can still protect myself and others around me. I want to be able to protect you, Tyba."

"Shut up and fight already!" This time, Tyba's fist is engulfed in ice spiked out when he punches Yukino. This time, Yukino is stuck on the spikes of the ice. My heart stops dead for a good while. But what I saw next makes me realize a piece of the puzzle. I look at Yukino. I look at the ice tips. The ice didn't impale Yukino. Rather, the tips are stuck on something.

Is Yukino's body made out of ice?

"I will not kill a friend." Yukino grabs the ice of Tyba's hand and pulls away, the small holes reforming. As they reform, I see that he was actually bleeding. So he isn't made of ice, but has ice that acts like armor?

"Now I see. You have one of the unique skills that a past Ice Denizen used a lot: Ice Skin, one of the most defensive Ice styles." He raises his fist once again. "However, it doesn't look like it's very thick." He waves his hand, and the ice from his hand flies off. As it falls, it starts to take form. "Ice Clone." Beside Tyba was a clone of himself made entirely of ice. Tyba leaps at Yukino, and the Ice Clone mimics everything he does. Yukino at the very last second ducks underneath the punches and jumps behind them, but he doesn't attack Tyba.

"Please-"

"Fight back!" Tyba again lunges at him, and this repeats over and over.

"Let's go, Rory," Hazel says while motioning the panther to move. Unsure of what to do and part of me not wanting to see more of the fight, I find myself unconsciously following her.

"Why is he an Ice Candidate?"

"He just happens to be one," Hazel says without looking at me.

"But he can't do anything!"

"Yes. Yes he can."

"What the hell can he do?!"

* * *

 **How Hazel Met Yukino.**

 **April 23rd, 1300 NB: 3 years ago- Yukino 18 years old, Hazel 17 years old.**

"Why are you here?" Hazel stands in front of her house where someone in rags sat on the ground. The house was extremely old looking, but Hazel had been renovating it over time, not yet complete. He doesn't respond. "No one comes to the Violet Shadows just to sit around. Everyone knows that it's dangerous here. Leave," Hazel snaps as she walks back into her house to tend to the animals.

The following day, she comes outside only to find the guy still sitting in front of her home. She closes and locks the front door and walks to him.

"I told you to leave." He doesn't move, looking at the dirt in his seated position. The animals around him don't move in on him, which is weird knowing how the animals of the forest usually are. Ignoring him, she leaves to get more food. To her dismay, he is still sitting when she returns. "I'll have to force you to go away if you don't yourself."

"I win!" He finally says. Only now does Hazel realize that he was actually looking at something in the dirt. She takes a closer look to find a blue hercules beetle taking heavy breaths in front of Yukino. Hercules beetles of Wytsu have the same strength as most people's pointer fingers.

"Go play elsewhere. You'll only upset the creatures here."

"Let's go at it again when you rest up!" He told the beetle.

"Hey!" When Hazel snapped at him, he looked up and smiled.

"I'm Yukino! What's your name?"

"You need to leave, you're being a nuisance."

"Yea, yea, whatever. Come help me find more hercules beetles!"

Hazel storms towards Yukino and punches his eye. He falls back and writhes in pain.

"Why did you do that?!" He tries to remove his hand, but it's already begun to swell up and hurt more.

"That's what you get for not leaving. This is a special place, these creatures deserve to have their space from humans." Hazel goes to the house and closes the door behind her as she starts cleaning up again so she can renovate the house some more.

She goes into the other room to grab the broom only to come back with a hole in the wall of the room she was going to clean. Yukino stood in the fresh gap. "What did you do to my home?!"

"I would appreciate it if you didn't result to violence."

"That doesn't explain the hole in my wall!"

"You locked the door and I didn't want to ruin your door, so I came through the wall."

"Uh, you could just leave and go away! What do you want from me?!"

"I first want an apology," he says as he cries, his hand still over his swollen eye. "Second, I want another hercules beetle." Hazel responds by grabbing her broom and approacing Yukino, who raises his hand that's covered in ice. "I don't like hurting other people, but I will defend myself if I have to. Please just apologize."

"Y-you're a Candidate?" Hazel was more scared of the power he could posses and the threat he could pose for her more than the status itself.

"I don't care about being a Candidate, I just want to enjoy life and keep from fighting in those stupid trials. No one should have to die for stupid reasons."

"People are stupid."

"Yes. Yes they are."

"You're stupid, too, even if you have potential for lots of power."

"Yes. Yes I am." They both laugh.

* * *

One month passed, and Yukino stayed to repair and help renovate the home since he did make a big hole in the wall. He also helped to collect food and run errands.

"We're going together to the Light Country?"

"Of course. I need someone like you to help make the trip faster. While we don't care about status, most everyone else do. With you being a Candidate, we can get through cities on the way with no problems."

"So you're going to use me?"

"I don't mean it in that-"

"I know, I know." He punched her shoulder. When they finished packing the essential into bags, they began the long journey south. The Light Country is the neighboring country south of the Shadow Country, and the Violet Forest is located in the mid-North region. When they reach the outskirts of the forest, Hazel glares at the car found at the edge of the forest.

"Where did you steal this from?"

"It was just sitting around, so I thought I would put it to good use when you said you needed to go to the Light Country."

"That's still stealing." Yukino glanced over at the car again.

"Maybe they won't notice."

Hazel facepalms. "Let's go take it back." And so they drive it back to where he 'found' it.

"What do you think you're doing taking our vehicle? We can have you arrested and sent to the Jail System for that," the man snaps as they approach the residence of the vehicle. The owner is a Zenshin: not too many Zenshin have cars because of how much it costs to have one, but it's not unknown for a Zenshin to have one. There isn't a single Yowai or Shimin that owns a car or phone, though.

"I'm sorry, but it was just sitting there and we needed to-"

"That's still stealing! You had no permission to take it!"

"He's a Candidate," Hazel finally blurts out to get the owner to stop yelling. As soon as she said that, the owner gets on his knees and bow.

"I'm terribly sorry for yelling at you! Please take my car as an apology! Please don't arrest me!"

Hazel smirks, pleased that it worked. "Let's go," she tells Yukino and they drive to the Light Country, taking about eight hours to reach their destination within the Light Country. When they arrive at the city gate, guards come up to the vehicle. The Light Country is the most secured country of all Wytsu, all of its cities surrounded by tall walls and gates; they don't tolerate bad behavior or potentially bad people.

"Name, status, and where you're coming from?

"Hazel from the Violet Shadows in the Shadow Territory. He's an Ice Candidate."

"Yukino, came from the same location."

"Please show us your Candidate powers." Yukino raises his hand slowly and generates some ice from his palm. "Thank you, Candidate Yukino." The two guards bow to him out of respect. "Welcome to Laveru."

"Thank you," Yukino responds, and they drive through the opened gates. Another ten minutes pass and they arrive at a shop. "So… why this shop of all places?"

"This is the closest city that has large quantities of imported goods, such as bananas from the Water Territory. Fruit such as bananas aren't common in the western side of Wytsu, so I often come here-" she stops short when she notices Yukino panting with his mouth open. "What are you doing?"

"We-we're getting bananas?" Hazel glares at him.

"You can't have the bananas I buy. If you want bananas, buy some yourself."

"I don't have any money." He pouts and cries nonstop.

"I'm pretty sure you can find people to give you some if you ask them for some because of your status." With that, Hazel looks at the spread on the counter and gathers what she came to pick up, including the bananas. When she finished, she waits for Yukino to return since he wanted to get some bananas. Half an hour passed, and Yukino was still nowhere to be found. With no other choice, she gets into the car and drives slowly down the street.

A few minutes into the drive, a loud voice is heard from overhead. ""Two Candidates are in the city. If you are an Ice Candidate, please make your way to the center of Laveru in the field. I, the Lightning Denizen, am the referee for the Ice Trials. The battle will commence in ten minutes."

Crap, Hazel immediately thinks. Yukino has been trying to avoid these for so long, but we let our guards down. A few minutes before the fight is supposed to start, Hazel sees Yukino fidget and twitch uncomfortably while the candidate in front of him jumps from side to side, warming up her body.

"I commend you two for being here, taking pride in the power of Ice and in yourselves. I pray that the winner will continue to work towards becoming the next Denizen, and I pray that the defeated will be able to rest in peace knowing that they did their best." He pauses. "Let the battle of Ice begin!"

"Wait," Yukino snaps. The Lightning Denizen turns to Yukino. "Why do we have to do this? No one should have to die."

"Only one may be permitted to have an elemental power, the power is unstable and can kill you if it isn't restored completely with the rest of its power within the other Candidates. Therefore, we must see who is best suited for the element with the trials."

"But there has to be another way!"

"Shut your pie-hole!" The other candidate runs over and hits Yukino, making a cracking noise as it hits his head and sends him flying back. "There's no way around this than to kill or die." Yukino stands up, blood dripping heavily from his head. "I'll have you know that you won't be able to win, though. Tough luck. My unique power is Ice Skin, a skill created by the Second Generation Ice Denizen when the Denizen went up against a mass murderer. Nothing can get through it without extreme force; it's the perfect power for the Ice Trial!" She rushes at Yukino again, who isn't moving. When she throws the punch, Yukino raises his hand and catches the punch, surprising her and the spectators.

Hazel, though, was very confused: Yukino has no physical strength, so why is he able to stop a heavy punch like this one?

As they stood there, steam began to rise from their hands, making the girl flinch and sending her back. When she looked at her hand, the Ice Skin on her hand had melted. "What the hell?!"

As Yukino looked up, his eyes change to a hellish red and his hair turns white. "Hey. Girl. Do you _really_ think you have the best skill for the trials?"

"Heh, you say you don't want to fight, but now you clearly look like you have experience in fighting. But how did you melt my ice? This is supposed to be the Ice Trial, not the Fire Trial."

"Ice Burn," Yukino smirks. "Ice so cold that it burns. Are you still sure you've got the best Ice skill for the trials?"

"Screw you," the girl candidate snaps and goes for another punch from the side, but Yukino's strange and sudden reflexes prove to be superior as he once again grabs her, but this time he grabs her upper arm and doesn't let go, the palm of his hand plated with ice. The ice on her arm melts and a fire starts to burn her arm, causing her to scream. She finally breaks free and jumps back to put the fire out, but Yukino quickly reaches out to her again and grabs her arms again. This time, he manages to hold on long enough to burn out her nerves so she couldn't use her arms. All while she screamed.

She can't fight anymore, her Ice Skin proving to be useless against Yukino's Ice Burn. Yukino wobbles back and forth, his hair reverting back to his brown hair and his eyes to their ocean blue color. The Lightning Denizen appears in front of him.

"The fight isn't over. You must kill her to end the fight."

"There's no need. She lost. I refuse to kill."

The Lightning Denizen eyes Yukino. Silently, the Lightning Denizen walks over to the other Candidate. "Can you still fight?"

"Of course I can." Clearly, she is unable to, though.

"I appreciate your pride and your willpower," the Denizen commented.

Then he plunges his hand surrounded in electricity through her chest, sending her dead body to the ground. Yukino didn't flinch, and Hazel had her hands to her mouth. A light emitted from the fallen Candidate and flew into Yukino.

"The fight is over. Yukino is the winner of this fight and has received the Ice power that the fallen Candidate had." With that, the Lightning Denizen disappears, leaving behind a strike of lightning that lasted for a split second.

Hazel looks over at Yukino. Yukino is looking at the ground. Unmoving. She slowly walks up to him, but then pauses when she hears him say something quietly.

"Why can't I save us?… I have to stay away from the others..."

 **May 24th, 1300 NB: Ice Candidate Trial Fight- Complete**

* * *

 **Present time**

"...he really did that?"

"Yep. I didn't believe it when I saw, either, but it's true. Not only does it look like he has an alter ego, he also has to kill another Candidate. I also wish we could put a stop to these trials."

I don't know what to say. Yukino is trying to stop the trials? He has been avoiding the trials for the last three years? How does he even plan to stop the trials?

I can't help but think, though. With Yukino being a Candidate, he must be strong enough or of some sort of authority to ask the Denizen to release my friends, Lily and little Haru. Then I don't have to stress so much on getting back up in the ranks!

I shouldn't be thinking like this right now… Yukino and our new friend are fighting each other to the death.

"Please, Tyba." Yukino continues to plead to Tyba in vain.

"Fight me like a man!" Tyba once again sends Yukino flying, the Ice Skin starting to fall apart. "Liquid Ice!" Tyba raises his hand and sends ice towards Yukino. This is the power he showed us a few days ago, manipulating ice like a liquid, waving around as if water, except it is solid ice. The Liquid Ice reaches Yukino and wraps around him. "This is my unique skill, not from anyone I've beaten. If you're not going to fight back, then I'll just put you out of your misery." Tyba flinches when he notices the ice around Yukino start to react. Yukino's hair goes white, and he opens his eyes to a hellish red color.

"I'll be taking over now, bastard." Something cold shoots up my spine when I hear Yukino say that. This is his alter ego? I can't help but stand frozen from the change in the atmosphere. In an instant, Tyba's Liquid Ice melted off of him. With plates of ice on his palms, Yukino leaps at Tyba who reacts just in time with ice in the shape of a shield on his arm, holding back Yukino's sudden jab. The shield, however, began to melt. Tyba jumps out of reach.

"This is a real fight!" Tyba said with a grin. Tyba reaches down to touch the ground. As he does, three columns of ice rise from the ground and take on Tyba's appearance. In response to Tyba's challenge, Yukino approaches the oncoming ice clones and takes a few seconds to melt each of the clones.

Even I knew that this was looking hopeless for Tyba, but he doesn't stop there. Tyba saidi that he has already beaten a few Candidates before now, and if it's true that the fallen Candidates' powers are absorbed by the winner, then Tyba should have one or two more unique powers. Yukino charges at Tyba once more, but Tyba fills his lungs before letting out a storm of snow and ice in Yukino's direction. Ice Breath. Yukino raises his arms with a layer of Ice Skin on him. There isn't enough time to add more layers, so some shards manage to plunge into his arms and legs.

Yukino pulls out the shards as if it was nothing and walks to Tyba. As Tyba begins to fill his lungs again, Yukino speeds up, ducks just as Tyba releases another Ice Breath, and he sends an uppercut into Tyba's jaw, stopping the Ice Breath. Tyba immediately tumbles onto his back.

"Done already?" Yukino looks down at Tyba, who in response gets back up. In an instant after inhaling before Yukino could realize, Tyba exhales for another Ice Breath. Chunks of ice hit or scraped at Yukino's face until he managed to get out of the way. Even when he moved out of the way, he was still getting hit by chunks of ice, though?! I look around Yukino and see that ice is appearing out of thin air, being thrown at Yukino!

"You'll know when I'm done by the sound of my breath." Tyba smiles, still looking confident as he answered Yukino's question.

I'm startled when a hand is placed on my right shoulder. I start to turn to look at who it was, but another hand was put on my other shoulder.

"Who are you here with?"

"What do you want?" The man's voice seems familiar, somehow.

"I'm here for you, as well as anyone who you have been traveling with."

"Why do you want me?"

"You know the answer to that, Miss Hatsuburi." A shiver rides up my spine. This voice, it belongs to the Fourth Ranker, Gilbert. Gilbert was the one who invited me to the test from Second Rank to Third; going from being your everyday citizen to working hard everyday and developing my talents.

"W-well, I'm with Yukino and Tyba." I say this in a panic, not knowing what else to say. I have no business with Patsu City anymore, so why was I hunted down?

Gilbert lets out a sigh. "Then I will wait, but you're staying right here." I mentally roll my eyes, not daring to actually roll my eyes to a Fourth Ranker. My stomach churns at the thought of how I could have been a Fourth Ranker if I didn't collide with Yukino.

"I haven't had to use Frozen Air before, but clearly it's the most effective towards you," Tyba laughs while white-hair Yukino pants, shards of ice sticking out of his limbs. Yukino covers the areas with his own ice, melting Tyba's. Yukino doesn't say anything in response. Instead, when the shards are melted and the ice stops his bleeding, he runs towards Tyba. When Tyba sends shards at Yukino from thin air, they disintegrate before reaching. Continuing to do so in vain, Tyba sends more and more towards Yukino. The closer he gets to Tyba, the more I can tell that Yukino has his hands covered in a lot of ice, this same ice causing a lot of steam to erupt from his hands which is melting Tyba's. Eventually, Yukino's hands were burning with a red flame.

Tyba's eyes widen, and Yukino grabs Tyba's shoulders, burning through the skin and some muscle tissue until Tyba could no longer feel his arms. Tyba falls to his knees. I turn to Saku who is on the opposite side of the fight now. He's being restrained by a few others. I guess Saku wants to put a stop to this fight. I have no words. I can't stop trembling. I don't want Tyba to die. I don't want Yukino to die, either. Yukino wants to run away from these trials and find a way to save Candidates. Tyba wants to be even stronger, but he also has an extremely kind heart.

"Please…" Yukino's white hair slowly changes back to its original brown color, and his eyes also reverted back to their blue color.

"You're so strong," Tyba whispered. "No one would think you could beat down anything that comes your way, but-"

"You're wrong. I'm not strong."

Tyba snaps at Yukino. "You put me on my knees! How can you say you're not strong?!"

Before they could exchange more words, the Lightning Denizen appears before Yukino and Tyba.

"Tyba, are you able to continue fighting?"

"No, I admit defeat. I cannot win against Yukino."

"Yukino, you know what you need to do," the Lightning Denizen, Pachi, glares at Yukino.

Yukino frowns at Pachi. "You know that I can't kill him. Why can't we stop these fights to the death?!"

Pachi raises his hand towards Yukino. "I will not allow you to pass through another trial without you yourself killing your opponent. There is no way to allow two to have the same power. If there are multiple that have the same elemental power for too long, it will kill everyone with that power because the powers cannot be separated for too long."

"There has to be another way!"

I look down at my hands unconsciously, forgetting all about Gilbert behind me. Is there really nothing that can be done? Is Yukino going to be forced to kill innocent people one by one until someone becomes the tenth generation Ice Denizen? I finally bring my trembling eyes back up, but I wish I didn't look back up.

As I look up, I see Tyba smiling as he jumps up at Yukino as to crush his puny body compared to his massive body. Lacking time or speed to get out of the way, Yukino's hair goes white and his eyes red again in an instant. His alter ego taking over in an act of defense.

His hands, covered in ice, Ice Burn, goes through Tyba's chest.

"No!" I try to run into the fighting area towards the two, but Gilbert kept me in place. I could see Saku trying to do the same, being more fierce than he was before. Tyba's body falls to the ground, Yukino's hands sliding out of his body, his hair and eyes reverting back. He is visibly trembling when he sees Tyba's blood on his hands. A light emits from Tyba in the form of a small icy blue schere. When all of the light fades from Tyba's body, it flies into Yukino, causing Yukino to fall to the ground by the sheer force of power Tyba had.

"The fight is over. Yukino is the winner of this fight and has received the Ice power that the fallen Candidate had." With that, the Lightning Denizen disappears, leaving behind a strike of lightning that lasted for a split second.

It was over. Just like that.

 **October 18th, 1303 NB: Ice Candidate Trial Fight- Complete**

No sane person one would be able to think normally after having something like this happen.

"Is there anyone else, or is there only Yukino?" As Gilbert asked, Hazel realizes I'm in a pickle. She, too, doesn't know what to say or do. Gilbert catches the gaze between me and Hazel, though. "That girl? Anyone else?" I couldn't bring myself to even bother looking at Saku. Who knows what he's thinking and how he's going to feel about us. About Yukino. Seeing that I won't do or say anything else, he brings me along while he picks up Yukino, and Hazel followed. He grabs my shoulder and Hazel's shoulder, who is still on her panther. In an instant, everything goes black before the scenery changed: we are now in the lobby of a massive mansion. The panther is not with is, so Hazel struggled to keep her balance when she suddenly stumbled onto the ground. Gilbert was gagging as if trying to hold back vomit. Everyone in Patsu City knows that his locket power is Destination: he can use any compass to pinpoint the direction of anyone and anything he so desires, and he can teleport to the places closest to his heart. This mansion is likely Gilbert's home.

"Hello, Miss Hatsuburi." I look to a couch in front of us. Gary Tsutsukage, the Shadow Denizen.

* * *

 **Near the Island Country of Wind**

"Llana, we have an update for you." A male voice again echoes through the earpiece of the Assassin, Llanna. She wore the same pink-purple tanktop with black pants, but she also has on her hand-made black assassin longcoat with purple designs.

"Yes, chingu?"

"I've told you many times before to stop calling me that. It isn't my name."

"Is that all you wanted to call me about? You don't do well in stealing a woman's heart, do you?"

"I'm not here to steal your heart. I'm here, paying you, to take down Yukino."

"You really are no fun, chingu."

"I wanted to inform you that one of the Fourth Rankers of Patsu City got hold of some girl along with Yukino and another girl."

"Are you sure you don't want me to kill Yukino because he's popular with the ladies and you're just jealous?" She licks her lips and smiles.

"Think however you want, assassin. Just kill Yukino."

"Roger, chingu." She brings her finger to her ear and cuts the communication. "I already know everything that's happening, though. It's going as planned. You'll soon meet your end, Yukino."

Llana, the Assassin, approaches the Wind Country, the midway point from the edge of the Lightning Country to the Shadow Country.


	5. Home

Edited and reposted 8-19-18: minor changes, edit in the dates/days.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Home**

 **Near the Mines of the Fire Country**

"Sir, the General would like to speak to you." A miner bows as he makes his announcement to Sai, the Fire Denizen.

"Do you think he'll like my sword?" Sai holds out his sword towards the miner. "I think everyone should like my sword, but he doesn't! Thus, I made a few changes to it!"

"I'm sure he will love it," the miner assured. The Fire Denizen smiles.

"I hope so, as well!" Sai stands up from his chair and leaves the campsite for the miners, sword in hand towards the mines. In the distance is the General standing in front of the hole in the mountainside. "Hey-"

"Hello, Sir. We have something you should see for yourself rather than be told of it."

"Don't you think my sword looks better with these fiery colors?" Sai shows off his sword again, holding it out at an angle.

"I'd rather see the Black Sword it's supposed to be. One of the legendary Black Weapons. You're tarnishing it by decorating it."

"These colors make it look-"

"Sir, the matter at hand, please."

Sai sighs displeasingly and stands back up straight, petting what he has of his small beard. "Proceed." Sai follows the General into the mines, descending at least a kilometer under the mountainside. As the mine elevator stops, Sai and the General step off and press forward into the caves lit by small lanterns on the walls.

"This may come across as alarming for you when you see it," the General made sure to note. He waves three of the workers over from the walls they are picking at to move aside some hanging tarps to hide a hold in the wall. Sai and the General walk through.

Sai doesn't show any emotion. "This is one of the Fire Candidates I fought in the Fire Trial to be the 9th Generation Fire Denizen."

"I thought so, but wanted to make sure with you to make sure I wasn't wrong." In front of them is a brunette girl with burn marks at the center of her chest, clothes burnt in the shape of a hand, molding a shallow hole in her chest.

"Why is she in here? All Candidates are left where they are killed until someone from the Jail System comes to carefully dispose of the body. If they couldn't find a body or something happened, they would have questioned us about it, but they didn't say anything. None of this is making sense."

As he continues to ponder, the brunette's finger twitches, causing even the Denizen to flinch back. All of a sudden, the Black Sword is taken from its sheath and is plunged into the Fire Denizen's side in an instant. It was someone wearing mining clothing. The person takes off the mining helmet to put on a large purple hat.

"I didn't think someone would accidentally find one of my hiding spots," the person says while slowly pulling the sword out of the Fire Denizen who then falls onto his knees while bringing his hands to the wound. He painfully starts burning his wound closed. "No matter, I need a few more bodies barely hanging onto their lives out of sheer will power." This person carries the girl's body to the mine's elevator with the legendary Black Sword on his back, leaving everyone else below to hover over the wounded Fire Denizen.

* * *

 **October 18th, 1303 NB: Afternoon, Gilbert's Mansion in Patsu City**

"Hello, Miss Hatsuburi." I look to a couch in front of us. Gary Tsutsukage, the Shadow Denizen, sits on the couch. There are plants located all along the wall.

I don't move, nor do I say anything. Why would I? A new friend just died, and now I'm standing in front of a Denizen, both preventing me from moving or even thinking.

"Are you okay? Did the teleportation put you into shock?" I don't respond. "I suppose we can have you sent to a room to rest up. There's no hurry, as long as you are in this mansion, everything will be fine." Gilbert waves some servants over to lead or support me, Yukino, and Hazel into separate rooms. Two of the servants carry Yukino to a nearby room while Hazel and I are led up the mighty stairs and down a long hall. We stop and I'm gently nudged into the room in front of me, Hazel to the room left of me. The door closes behind me.

After a moment of silence, I slowly walk over to the bed and drop onto the bed face first.

Why did this have to happen?

* * *

 **On the journey through the Black Plains…**

"Please leave me alone," I tell Tabu who continues to bug me.

"But if you aren't good at making sushi, then what things do you make?"

"It's just food, what's the big deal?!"

"Food is life! We need it to live!" I zone him out and keep walking on. "Do you really not care about food?"

"Not really."

"Then what do you care about?"

"I care about getting my status back elsewhere so I can go back and free my friends." As soon as I say that, it hits me. "Unless you could help me out by breaking them out or demanding. You are a Candidate, after all."

Tyba looks at me with disappointment. "I'm not going to be the answer. Besides, I wouldn't do that to something a Denizen decided on." Angrily, I keep walking. "If you want, I can at least help you get stronger."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Anything and everything can help, I guess."

* * *

 **Present time...**

As I continue thinking, I fall asleep, not knowing the shock would keep me asleep until the following evening.

* * *

 **October 19th, 1303 NB: Evening**

"The Shadow Denizen would like to speak with you," I hear from the other side of the door. I wasn't pleased to have been woken up like this, but I find that the sun is slowly setting, not knowing at first that this isn't the same day that we arrived here. Grunting, knowing I'll have to face him sooner or later, even if I'm still not over what just happened to Tyba, I slowly get up and head back to where we last saw the Shadow Denizen. A couch now sits across the couch Gary is on. Slowly but surely, I eventually reach the couch. He doesn't say anything until I sit down.

"Can you speak, this time?"

"I can." I still want to be silent, but he's still a Denizen and I made a mistake. "What do you want?"

"I have two things for you. The first is to ask how you broke the vase and why you suddenly disappeared without confronting me about the details."

"I let my guard down and ran into someone who shattered it. I didn't think I needed to tell you what happened since you knew that it was broken with your power."

"I hope you learned from it and can rise back up so you can return again. I've had high hopes for you since you came here to Patsu City. I wasn't sure what it was, but I was quite intrigued." Hearing him say that pumps my heart, pleased to know that someone so powerful had high hopes for me. "This does lead to my other remark. I received an anonymous tip of where you ran off to as well as why they told me: the Taishiru family have been trying to look for you for a certain amount of years to bring you back. I may not know much of the Taishiru family, but as a Denizen dealing with matters from another country, I must comply and help to send you-"

"Don't send me back there! I can't go back."

"Why is that?" He puts his head on his hand, leaning against the armrest.

"I want to do what I want. I can't do that when I'm with them. Since there are so few of us, they're always protective over everyone who has our Taishiru power to make sure we don't fall into the hands of those who want to take advantage of this power; to control us and the power. They also put us into training sessions all day to work on various fighting styles, rarely getting to do whatever we want. That isn't what I want!"

"I get you may not want to go back, but there's nothing I can do about that. Since this has to do with another country, I can't do anything about it."

"Then what about my friend and her sick sister? Why don't you let them come with me instead of keeping them locked up?"

"You know the answer for that. There needs to be a reminder of your mistake until you can fix it if you can. Until you can fix your mistake and get better at your weaknesses, they will be staying there."

I knew it was farfetched to ask. "Then why not let me go somewhere other than the Lightning Country? Why not a neighboring country? If you don't know where I am, there's nothing you can do about it."

"I can't allow that. I don't want any trouble with the others, they already think of the Shadow line as the traitorous kind and are hoping to put me down whenever they get a chance. If I cross anyone because of this, it is possible to have me quarantined and beat by those who I have crossed.

"But you didn't do anything to them or anyone, right?"

"You're trying to change the topic, and I can't have that. I already requested a boat and a driver to take you to the Lightning Country as well as anyone who was with you. The anonymous tip also told me that your family wants to talk to those who are with you."

"Now you're bringing them into this? I told you, I'm not going back, nor are you taking either of them."

"I'm sorry, but-"

"You're not sorry! You're trying to save your own butt and hide in the shadows so you don't get beat up!" I may have gone too far…

"You think I'm hiding?" He stands up, letting his purple hair fall and cover his right eye. "I could easily take on any of the other Denizens. The thing I am worried about is how the people will see the Shadow Country if I don't cooperate with the other Denizens. If I or any one of us cause any problems for another country or Denizen, it shows the people that we may not be capable of having our powers to protect them. As a Denizen, I think of the people first." I slouch back into the couch in fear. "Like I said, many have always thought of the Shadow Denizen line as a traitor because of what happened with the second generation Shadow Denizen, but I myself haven't done anything to taunt them. And I plan to keep it that way." He sits back down on the couch.

"I'm sorry."

"With that cleared up, you need to go back to the Lightning Country." I don't know how to respond, there's no way I can continue telling him that I'm not going back. Besides, he's a Denizen. "If you need, you can go back to your room to rest until the boats are ready on shore." I could tell from his voice and the way he moved his hands that he planned to use Shady Portal to get us to the shores.

I stand up to follow the servant back to my room when the front door swings open, moonlight creeping into the mansion. At the doorway stood some black figure with blackness flowing upwards from every part of its body, the black complimenting the only visible part of it: its red eyes. The Shadow Denizen stands up and raises his hands, the shadows around the doorway reaching out and plunging towards the black figure who dodged it.

"'He' has finally made his appearance again." Gary quickly turns to me as if relieved. "Maelynn, I need you to make a deal with him so he doesn't go rampage."

I take a step back, taken back from his request. "Why? What is he?"

"I'll explain later, but please. Make a deal with him so he doesn't go rampage!"

"What am I supposed to give in return, then?! If you want him to be peaceful, we have to give him something in return!" Before he could answer, the red eyed figure leaps towards Gary. Gary reaches down into his own shadow and pulls out a long metal staff, raising it to repel the hands reaching out at him. It leaps at Gary again, this time grabbing the metal staff. Gary swings it around to remove its momentum and minimize the attack. Gary kicks it back while letting go of the metal staff, reaching into his shadow again and pulling out some chains.

He once again turns his gaze towards me. "Say you will help him return home!" I, of course, have no idea as to what is going on. A deal where if I help this thing get home, he remains calm? That's not a strong enough reason, who knows if someone who goes crazy will care or if they break the deal and nothing happens to them. The for sure deal is to help him get home, so I need to come up with something that could have a consequence if he breaks the deal. We need him to stop fighting, but it would be too much to say his limbs will blow up or something similar if he breaks the deal. It would be helpful if I actually knew something about him!

"What are you waiting for?! Make a deal with him!"

"I can't! I need to know more about him! I don't think saying we'll help him get home will be-"

"Just do it!" Startled, I hesitantly approach the fight between the black figure and Gary.

"If we help you get home, will you-" before I can finish, the red eyes shine towards me and it kicks me back, knocking the wind out of me. It doesn't stop looking at me.

"We're losing time here!"

I can't find the words to respond because of that kick. Gary steps between me and the black figure with his chains circularly swinging on his sides. After regaining function of my lungs, I stand back up and Gary whips his chains at the figure. Before I can move closer, arms wrap around my wrists and pull my back. I turn to find Yukino pulling me away.

"Let go of me! I need to talk to it!"

"No!" I was taken back from his disapproval. "We need to get you somewhere safe!"

"I can stop this!"

"Can you really?"

"I don't know if you're running because you don't want to hurt or see anyone hurt, but I need to do this!"

"No!" He pulls me through the open doorway. I look back to the figure, but I find Gary on the ground and the figure making his way towards us. Before he could get us, Rory the panther pounces at the figure who is then rendered immovable.

"Good boy!" Hazel runs up to Rory and hugs him. I take this opportunity to approach the black figure and speak in heavy breathes.

"I'm willing to help you get home, but you first need to calm down and stop attacking us. Can you do that for me?" Glowing red eyes adjust to my face, continuing to grunt. As he lay there unable to move, his grunting lessened. "I'll help you." The red eyes again adjust their gaze towards me. This time, the red swirls into a purple color before rippling into a blue color. As the glowing eyes changed blue, the figure's body relaxed.

"...go...home…" is what the black figure responds with while gazing at me. My brown eyes glow a sky blue along with the figure's right hand for a moment before dimming.

I wasn't pleased, though. If this person breaks the promise by going on a rampage, all this person loses is our help to look for his home. There should be other helpful people out there to ask. He doesn't truly have something to lose other than our help which anyone could do.

"You can get off him now, Rory." Hazel strokes the panther's nose. "I'm so happy you found us after we disappeared on you like that!" Rory nudges at Hazel while growling. "I'm sorry you were frightened by my vanishing, but I'll be more careful!"

"You were able to make the deal?" Gary walked up to me.

"Yes. Now, keep your promise and tell us what this is all about."

"I did say I would, didn't I?" Gary sighs and motions for everyone to take a seat on the couches while he closes the doors. The black figure with glowing blue eyes stands next to the couch closest to me. "We as Denizen call them Ombre since we don't know anything about him and we couldn't agree on what else to call him. We first met Ombre roughly twenty years ago when he went rampage in the Ice Country. We were able to stop him and learn they wanted to go home, but then a bystander snuck up on him and killed it while its guard was down. Ten years ago, another Ombre appeared, but this time in the Fire Country. The Fire Denizen found him soon after one of our Denizen meetings, but the Ombre slipped away. The biggest remark Sai wanted to get across to us was that it definitely seemed different from the previous encountered Ombre, but functions all the same: the Ombre is influenced by the color of its eyes, meaning their emotions are their power. We have never meet any races who are capable of this and have constantly been trying to find answers. The worst part is their black aura-like surrounding or something else that makes even a Denizen's attacks nearly nullified as well as hurt us Denizen really good which is rare and not good."

"So you know nothing about this guy other than the eyes and the wanting to go home?"

"In short, yes."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with him?! Help find some unknown location?!"

"Yes. We can't have him destroying everything and killing people. We need someone like you who can keep him under control."

This is what I feared. Someone wanting to use me because of my power. "What if I don't want to?"

"You can't back down from this. However, when you talk to Pachi, the Lightning Denizen, you can discuss with him some more options. Since the Ombre is now with you, he is now part of his problem. We won't kill him, we want to study him and learn more about him, and Pachi knows this."

"You're still content on my heading to the Lightning Country, then?"

"Yes. As I mentioned before, this business belongs to the Lightning Country, there's nothing I can do about it."

"And you're forcing me to take this thing with me?" I didn't want to say Ombre, it sounds weird.

"Since you were able to stop him, yes. It would be best."

"Excuse me," a woman in a hat walks up to us, still in the open doorway of the mansion. She wears black water-resistant clothing, black hair reaching her shoulders and pink bangs. "I'm here to transport to the Lightning Country."

"You're not who I talked to yesterday," Gary noted.

"Archi fell ill and cannot fulfill his work duty, so I'm here to fill in."

"Let me contact Yter to make sure," Gary remarks, walking away as he pulled a phone from his pocket.

"Understandable," she says. "Are all of you coming? Four people and a panther?" She pauses. "I know I have room for four people on the speedboat, but I don't think the panther can fit. May even be too heavy for it."

"I'll find another way there, then. I'm not leaving Rory." Hazel hugs the panther by the neck which is followed by purring from the panther.

"I'll find out if we can spare another driver to drive a bigger boat for you two. Only three, then?"

I don't like this. I don't want to go back. We haven't left yet, and we're already having problems.

Gary comes back to the group. "I was able to confirm the situation. Please get going as soon as you can"

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Hazel?" Yukino asks.

"I'm sure. Are you sure you'll be okay without me?"

"No," Yukino whines as he falls onto his knees grabbing onto the skirt of her clothing. I grab Yukino by the collar and drag him away from her. As much as I would like to run, I still respect the Denizen and will not disobey them. No matter how much it hurts.

"Let's get this over with." The three of us follow the boat driver to a car, driving through the night.

* * *

 **October 20th, 1303 NB: Afternoon, Shores of the Shadow Country**

"Time to get up," the driver wakes us. "We're heading onto the motorboat, now."

I try stretching as much as I can with Yukino snoring away to my left and the Ombre slowly getting out on my right. "Yukino, get up," I yawn.

"Five more minutes, mommy." Yukino leans against me, but calling me "mommy" was enough for me to shove him against the side of the door, crushing his ribs.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Yukino wails while clawing for the car door, eventually grabbing and pulling on it as the door swings open and he falls out. I'm still not over Tyba's death, I have no patience to deal with Yukino.

"...go…home….?" The Ombre's blue eyes face me as I climb out of the car.

"Yes, we're going to help you find your home," I assure him though I have no idea what to do with him.

"With the power in this boat, we'll get to the Wind Country by nightfall, but we need to leave now. If we leave in the morning from the Wind Country, we'll get to the Lightning Country and be able to use the lightning fast transportation there to get to Pachi's castle by dinnertime."

"That sounds way better than walking for a month," Yukino whines.

"That's because it is better," I mumble.

The motorboat revs to life. "Quickly now!" Rolling my eyes, I board the boat followed by the Ombre. Yukino, finding he would have been left behind, jumps into the boat as well.

The water begins to splash behind us as the boat pushes forward. "If you want to talk, I'm all up for it, chingus."

I don't respond. The Ombre doesn't make any noises, either, continuing to stay next to my side. Yukino, on the other hand, is leaning over the side of the boat with a green face. I could care less about that right now, though.

"Long trips go by quicker the more you talk," the driver smiles.

"I'd rather not talk right now."

"Why not?" I don't respond. "You won't even tell me why you're taking this big of a trip?" I continue watching the water. "Come on now, don't be like that."

"There's not reason for me to talk to someone I don't know." I finally say.

"What about you, boy?" She looks towards Yukino.

"Unicorns" he leans over the side and starts releasing his unicorn fantasies from his mouth.

"You're not going to be a good conversation holder like that, you know?"

"They attack-" he takes a deep breath and continues to give the water some unicorns.

"I've never see someone like you before. What kind of power do you have?" She turns to the Ombre.

"...home…"

"You're going home?"

"...home…" The blue eyes shed a few tears.

"You're more responsive than these other two. I like you~." She lets go of the steering wheel and goes to hug the Ombre when I step in her way.

"Keep going."

"Why are you such a party pooper? Can't you see that it's already getting dark?" I take a moment to look around me. Sure enough, the sun is now setting. It should only be 2pm, though, so why is the sun setting? "Like I said before, talking helps the time fly by." As I turn back to the driver, I see a pink spark from her hands. Before I could respond, the driver launches herself at me with a flying side kick, knocking me onto the ground. "We're near the Wind Country." Her hands flicker in pink once again.

"What do you want?"

"I want Yukino, but I can't have him if we make it to our destination. I also want you to return you to your family and take the reward." She looks at the black smokey Ombre. "I don't know who or what this is, so I hoped you would have helped me get to know him before I give him to Pachi. Gary did say he was going to give him to Pachi, right?"

"Why do you want Yukino?"

"That's for me to know and for you to not know." She waves her hands with pink sparks flying, my body feeling heavier than before. Before I realize, I fall unconscious in the boat.

* * *

 **October 22nd, 1303 NB: Late Afternoon, Taishiru Building Front Lobby**

I hear muffled voices, trying to open my eyes.

"Maelynn! Get up." My eyes widen to find the elder Taishiru, my grandfather, hovering over my face. "She's awake, now."

I slowly turn my body to sit at the edge of the couch I laid on. The floor and walls are shimmering white and yellow like I remembered them to be. All the furniture and pictures frames are a golden frown color, pictures all taken of previous Taishiru generations.

"Where is Yukino and the Ombre?"

"I don't know who you're talking about," my father said, walking up to me. "Nor have I ever understood you and your behavior." My shoulders drop. "What did I tell you about dropping your shoulders?!" A small whip hits his hand, threatening me. Which works, seeing how he has always threatened and hurt me back when I was here. This is only one of many reasons why I wanted to leave here.

"I'm glad someone found you and brought you here moments ago, but why did you leave?" My mother walks up to me, as well. She asks in a concerned manner, but we all know that she doesn't give a crap about me.

"You know exactly why I left."

My father gives me a stern glare. "We can't have anyone taking advantage of us, Maelynn. Nor can we affort to owe debts to others. We Taishiru could bring about the end of the world if used correctly. We need to keep together to-"

"To keep your face and your job? I want to live my own life."

"Watch your mouth, you wench!" He slaps me across my face using the back of his hand.

"I-Is Maely-lynn b-back?" An old, elderly woman's voice echoes in the lobby. My heart throbs suddenly, quickly standing up and rushing over to my great grandmother, the last of her generation. I slow down before I get on my knees next to her wheelchair and give her a big hug.

"Hello, gran-gran." This warmth is what I need. Her old arms wrapping around me may be cold, but all I feel is the warmth of her love.

"Hello, swe-ety." Thankfully for me, none of my family will do anything when I'm with gran-gran. Taishiru are a race built off respect, which is also why I respect the Denizen and Keeper so much. On the idea of respect, Taishiru always respect the older generations, especially gran-gran who has lived for so very long.

"We will continue this discussion after supper." My father takes his leave followed by my mother.

My grandfather walks up to gran-gran, putting his hand on hers. "Don't push yourself too much, mother." He then follows behind my parents.

"D-do you know-w how much troub-ble they have be-en?" She says sarcastically like the loving gran-gran she is.

"I wouldn't doubt them being troublesome for you."

"H-have you been goo-od, dear?"

"Of course! I've been working full time, always on my toes, both theoretical and literal. I had a really nice home, some amazing friends to hang out with and support, and I couldn't have asked for more."

"D-did something hap-pen?"

I give a heavy sigh. "I had to leave it all behind. I still have all my money and belongings, but I lost my friends."

"D-do you know where y-your fr-riends are?"

"They're under surveillance back in the Shadow Country."

"S-so they are n-not lost?" I saw her give me her sarcastic smile, and I can't help but laugh.

"I love you so much, gran-gran."

"I-I love y-you, too, d-deary."

* * *

 **Meanwhile, in the Wind Country…**

"I have Yukino," Llana tells Pachi's son.

"You made sure to stay away from our country, right?"

"Of course! What kind of assassin would I be if I didn't follow instructions, chingu?"

"When will you execute him?"

"Eventually. First, though, I'm going to get as much information as I can out of him. There are some questions that I would like to get answered."

"Do you have him completely secured?"

"Of course I do, chingu."

"As long as you get the job done, do whatever you want." He hangs up.

"Did you hear that?" Llana turns to Yukino. "I'm free to question you as much as I want. If you don't want to suffer too much, then tell me exactly what I would like to know."

Yukino lies on the ground immobilized with pink sparks surrounding him. He doesn't respond.

"Hey now. I just want to get to know you! You're so~ my type!" No response. Llana gives out a long, heavy sigh. "I'll get to the point, then." She crouches next to him. "Tell me. Where is your father?"

"Don't you mean my adopted father?"

"Same difference. Where is he?"

"How should I know? Besides," his hair goes white and eyes go red, "I will kill him if I see him again."

Llana smiles happily. "This was definitely worth the wait, to see your real power." She stands back up. "You're aware of the Jail System, are you not? A group of people who are loyal to the Ice Denizen, Icatan, that watch over Wytsu and imprison strong criminals? The one your father is the leader for? I can't find him anywhere. Where is he?"

"Like I said. I don't know where he is, you wench."

"Llana lowers her face really close to his."

"Don't worry. I'll make you talk." Pink lights begin floating around Yukino. He starts screaming.


	6. Rage

**There will be edits to this for better flow. If you have questions about what is happening, if something is confusing, or if you have an idea of what you think will happen next, all is appreciated to help have an understanding of how you perceive the story and what I need to touch up on or what to focus on. Thanks!**

* * *

 **The story thus far:**

Maelynn was a Third Ranker in Patsu City of the Shadow Country. There, she also cared for her friends, Lily and Kisa, the young Kisa being sickly. When she returned home, she was visited by Miss Yamaharu, a Fourth Ranker, who presented Maelynn with the invitation to the trial to become a Fourth Ranker. There, she meets with the Shadow Denizen who looks over the trial. However, during the trial, a man named Yukino knocked her over and broke the vase, leaving Lily and Kisa under surveillance.

Forced to leave Patsu City, Maelynn uses her Taishiru power to seal Yukino to her, dragging him with her to the Ice Country. To get there, they first must get through the Violet Forest, where they meet Hazel, a self-proclaimed guardian of the forest. This forest acts as a labyrinth and a front yard to the Shadow Denizen castle. While traveling in the Violet Forest to Hazel's home, they encounter the Chickens and learn of Yukino's strong defenses.

Maelynn, Yukino, and Hazel on her white and purple panther, Rory, exit the Violet Forest to the Black Plains where they meet Sabu and Tyba. Tyba shares that he is an Ice Candidate. After many days, they arrive in a small crumbling village of First Rankers. There, Tyba faces Yukino in a deathmatch for the Ice Trials. Changing into Red Yukino, he defeats Tyba who flung himself at Yukino after Yukino refused to kill. Once the fight was over, Gilbert, one of the Fourth Rankers of Patsu, comes to receive Maelynn and her party to his mansion to speak with Gary, Shadow Denizen.

After getting some sleep due to mental exhaustion of Tyba's death, Gary tells Maelynn that she must return to the Lightning Country, the home of the Taishiru. The Ombre, a black silhouette with no details other than a human form with glowing eyes that change color, appears and attacks until Maelynn uses her Taishiru power to seal him to her in order to calm him down. In return, she agreed to help him look for his home, wherever that is. As the situation came to a close, Llana came as a driver to pick up Maelynn and company, leaving Rory and Hazel behind to catch another boat due to Rory's large size. On their way to the Lightning Country, Llana reveals herself and leaves Maelynn and the Ombre with Pachi, Lightning Denizen, while keeping Yukino with her back to the Wind Country. Maelynn must now deal with her family if she is to have her freedom.

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Rage**

 **October 23rd, 1303 NB: Early Morning, Home of the Taishiru**

"It is time to get up, young miss," a maid calls out to me from outside my bedroom door. Though I ran away, my family kept my room overly clean Everything is left exactly as it was before: expensive furniture and clothing that meant nothing to me. My family is rich due to the business they receive with our power.

I don't move. Who the hell gets up at six in the morning? Oh. Right. My parents. Having forgotten, I give a loud sigh.

I snap up to my attention as I recollect some memories of being here. Food! I quickly get up and change and storm out of my room.

"Young miss, you need to wear the proper attire for breakfast," she insists. I give a heavy grunt as I slowly go back to the room and change into a black and yellow patterned dress that was too revealing to my liking: strapless dress with revealing shoulders, black sleeves with yellow patterns, and the dress falling just short of the ground. Trying to pull up and constantly adjusting the dress, I slowly make my way to the dining hall behind the maid. Above the doors to the dining hall is a large clock that read 6:01am.

I roll my eyes as I enter the dining hall.

"You're late," my father calls out from the other side of the room, already seated with the rest of the family of Taishiru. My parents, both sides of grandparents, my great grandmother, two of my uncles with their wives, one cousin, and my older brother.

"I never asked to get up at-"

"Watch your tongue, girl," my father grunts. "You are under this roof again. This means you will obey the rules of the house. Is that understood?" I don't respond. "Is. That. Understood?!"

"Yes, sir." I do my best not to rage back. Any other time, I would. However, there's a certain group of people I want to see, including gran-gran. There isn't much time to talk to them, but they were willing to find the time to meet with me in the past. With anger building up, I sit down at the extravagant dining table.

"Sid, what is the schedule today?" A butler approaches my father.

"Sir." He promptly bows as he takes a few steps towards him. "At 7am, you have an appointment with the Lightning Denizen, Pachi, to finalize the details regarding the staff. After that, you and the mistress have a meeting with the royals who are visiting from the Earth Country."

"That's all I need to know for now," he waves to the butler who bows again and steps back. Some people walk over with domes on plates to present to my family. What really pisses me off, though, is that they aren't here anymore. This server isn't one of the usuals from before."

"Where are the original kitchen staff?"

"This food looks splendid," my mother smiles while my father glares at me to shut my mouth and eat. Nothing is any different than the past. Everything is still as hellish as it was before. Knowing the kitchen staff are different ruins the last of the positivity I hoped to grab. But once again, they ruin any positive scenario from my life.

Doing my best to withstand my desire to share my anger, I finished the meal and waited to be dismissed like the weak person I am. I follow orders and I respect those who have status. It's who I am, even if it hurts. I change back into my comfortable clothing and leave the premises, knowing this would be the only time I could get out for a while before I am summoned. It reminds me of the past, though.

Just like old times, I wandered the city. While there is still rank like the Shadow Country, the Lightning Country isn't as obvious about it unless you stand at the very top. The same goes for power: Lockets are not sold in this country so it is rare to find someone with a Locket, and the country isn't fond of Pure Powers like most countries, if not all. This means that this city is filled with average people. No powers, no Lockets, no nothing. Only positions and ranks with the Taishiru race and the Denizen household standing on top. The only reason the Taishiru is accepted though we have pure power is due to the connection we have with the Lightning Denizen generations.

"Hello, Maelynn! It's so good to see you!"

"It's been so long! How about you been?!" An elderly couple approached me as I wandered the city streets, cars driving by. The city glows yellow and yellow-green, which boosts the positivity and friendliness in the city.

"Not exactly happy to be stuck with my family. Eventually I'll get away, but I want to find out what happened to Kitamura and Yukino. Yukino was taken somewhere else, and I need to find him." Kitamura is the head chef that used to cook for the family, who I was looking forward to seeing again. I am over two hundred percent sure he would help me with these emotions flowing through me regarding the loss of Tabu and all the stress going on.

"We'll continue to pray for your happiness, dear. Know that those of us here are delighted to see you so grown up," the woman tears up slowly. Like in the past, we exchange hugs. I get along so well with everyone out here, disregarding the fact that no one around here has powers down here except me.

"Thanks," I smile before I continue down the street, being greeted by everyone around me. There were the occasional few who glare at me because of their losses from the deals they may have had with my family. I'm not surprised, really, and really hope my family falters someday.

* * *

As all things come to an end, lunch draws closer and I need to get back so I can ask about what happened to the kitchen staff. I get back inside, only to be greeted by my grandfather.

"You are forbidden from leaving. You are staying here to fulfill your role. You can forget about your dreams." Without waiting for a response, he leaves.

Guess what, gramps? I don't give a shit about what you think. You didn't make a deal with me, either, which means you probably have too many seals to worry about. We can only control so many people at one time: If I made a deal with about ten people, controlling them until they fulfilled their debts, it would put a huge toll on me mentally and physically. If he didn't make a deal with me, then that means he can't, which I'm happy to hear. This doesn't mean my parents or someone else won't be able to try making a deal with me to force me to stay here.

I eventually get back to my room and change in preparation for lunch, asking the staff about the previous kitchen staff only to find no results. Disappointed, I walk into the dining room once more as the food is set on the table.

"You're late again, young lady," my father snaps. It takes every nerve in my body to refrain from lashing out.

"I was trying to figure out what happened to the previous kitchen staff and where the friends who came with me are."

"I told you that is none of your concern," he again snaps.

"Yes, father, it is. I want to know where my friends are."

"Keep your mouth closed for once, you hack!" He slams his fist onto the table.

"Not at the table, dear, let's try to keep this peaceful and then talk to her afterwards," my mother interrupts." As none of my relatives or parents have done anything at this point, this likely means they're so busy with clients that they can't make room to seal me. This is wonderful news. The only problem is to get the information I want. In the meantime, I'll have to keep quiet, and that is what I do for the next forty minutes as the table is cleared down and my parents demand I follow them to their office.

"You are under my roof, and that means you will listen to us."

"No, I don't. By the looks of things, none of you can make a deal with me, and I don't want to-" before I could continue, I just barely notice something in the dark shadow of the room. "Why is the Ombre here?" As I take notice, my father lashes out his hand across my face.

"How dare you. How dare you." He hits me once more. "We are busy because of the extra deals we had to make because of the Ombre and all that you have done! Because of _you_!" I'm hit again. I can't use my Locket due to my mental strains, either. Even if I could, I probably wouldn't due to my personality of respecting those of higher status.

"All you can do is hit me out of anger? Why don't you just tell me where everyone is?"

"Get out!" He shoves me out the door, heavily hitting against the hallway as he closed the doors on me followed by more yelling from within. I don't move. Sitting here. I space out, not knowing nor caring about how much time goes by. At some point, my great grandmother slowly makes her way down the same hallway, a maid rolling her in her wheelchair.

"Wh-what's wrong, honey?" She looks down towards me with her wrinkly face. Without hesitation, I get up and give her a hug in which she returns back to me.

"I want to find my friends and Kitamura, but no one will tell me where they are. I found the Ombre, but there's nothing I can do for him since my seal on him is broken because of my father. I didn't realize it was broken until he told me he had to put a seal on him, and you already know that the seal disappears if a stronger seal is placed on top of the first. So, there's nothing I can do for the Ombre, though he is a bit of a bother, but I still want to find Yukino and the kitchen staff from before. Hazel might be in the country somewhere by now, too."

"S-so much is happening," she sighs. "Kitamura-san would d-definitely be able to h-help you."

"Do you know where he is?" I release from the hug and stand back up.

"P-Pachi bought his s-services along with the others. The meeting e-earlier today was to f-finish the deal."

"Do you know where Yukino is, too? Some woman has him." My voice shakes, hoping to find out everything I can.

"N-no one named Yukino a-arrived with you and the O-ombre. I'm s-sorry, d-dear."

"It's okay… it just means he likely isn't in this country." I wince to a pain in my head. "Which shouldn't be possible." My mind starts racing. "Pachi was able to temporarily close off the seal during the Candidate Trial battle. Maybe he is doing the same thing to Yukino."

"I believe your b-brother has been talking to Pachi's son about something. Maybe you can talk to him," she notes followed by another cough.

"Thank you, gran-gran." I give her another hug before leaving her with the maid who continues to move her down the hall. Going in the opposite direction, I quickly find myself at the door to my brother's room and knock. He soon comes to open the door.

"And what do I owe the pleasure of the presence of my disastrous sister?"

"Where is Yukino?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Gran-gran told me you were talking to Pachi's son. You never liked him, and yet here you are now in communication with him?"

"Times change, or are you still that stupid to understand?"

"Tell me where he is."

"I don't know where your icy friend is."

"Times may change, but clearly not for everyone. You still have a hard time keeping quiet when you feel you're ahead of me. I never once talked about-"

"You really are stupid if you think no one here knows that you were traveling with an Ice Candidate. He heard all about it already. He's probably going through hell right now, but-"

"Like I said, you know where he is."

"I told you, I don't know where he is. You're wasting your time." He shuts the door on me. I refuse to accept that response, so I kick the door open, breaking the handle and frame. He quickly turns around, along with someone with a big afro sitting in front of his desk. One of Pachi's sons, Rachi.

"Get out, you whore!"

"Where is Yukino?" As my brother storms towards me, the guest stands up.

"Ramo. There's nothing anyone can do at this point, it doesn't matter if she knows at this point."

"She's a whore, there's no-"

"You shouldn't be so disrespectful towards others," Rachi snaps. He turns to me. "I sent an assassin to kill Yukino. His ways of trying to stop the Candidate Trials are causing nothing but trouble for my father."

"How does what he is doing cause him problems?"

"Yukino, when he first came to this country, caused hundreds of security problems as he barged into libraries and tore everything apart looking through books. On top of that, he had the nerve of talking smack to my father when he found Yukino. Anyone who uses power is noticed by my father because of his ability to sense frequencies for disturbances."

"So he made a mess. That's typical of him."

"He has no respect for the Denizen and all they have to do! Anyone who goes against the ways of the Denizen should be killed!"

I don't have a response for him. In fact, I almost want to agree with him. I don't really know Yukino, and all I want is for him to repay me for what he did to me. So why don't I want someone to kill him? Is it because he's so stupid that I don't believe he could be so hated? Is it because he seems so innocent?

"But again, nothing can be done about it. The assassin dropped you and the Ombre off where my workers picked you up before heading out to the Wind Country. I'm sure you know that the Wind Country is so low in population that most of anything that happens there is never heard about again."

"I'm aware of that, yes." So Kitamura is with Pachi and Yukino is in the Wind Country. "That's all I need to know." I head for the door.

"Like I said, it'll be too late by the time you get there." Ignoring his remark, I close the door behind me as I make my way to the front doors to talk to Pachi. However, the butler and some others are there to greet me.

"You are aware that you are not permitted to leave, ma'am," the butler disclaims.

"I have nothing binding me here. I don't want to be here. All I want is to be with my friends."

"While I am glad to hear you found friends, I must insist that you do not leave."

"What will it take to let me through?" As if on cue, his phone rings. I don't care for phones, so I don't have one. Many in the Shadow Country didn't have a cell phone, anyway, wanting to keep to ourselves. "Chickens are heading towards the city. We need to help fend them off," the butler notes to the others. He turns back to me. "I hope you're able to find some peace," he says before disappearing through the doors with the others. I also head through the doors.

* * *

After an hour of traveling to the Lightning Denizen's mansion along the mountainside on the outskirts of the city, I travel around back to see if I can find a way to the kitchen. The kitchens in Wytsu are always on the first floor so that they can receive deliveries and have better venting of the heat that comes from the kitchen. As I thought, there is a door to the kitchen. As I approach, I find a woman stepping out from that door.

"Do you know where Kitamura is?"

"He's inside, sweety," she responds. For some reason, I'm spacing out on her name since I know her less than the others as she joined the group later on, but she nonetheless knew me and me her. She held the door open for me as I entered into the massive kitchen space. A tall man with silver hair in a ponytail reaching down to the middle of his back is helping prep some food for later with the rest of the group. I quickly run to the silver-haired man and give him a hug from behind. Startled, he attempts looking behind him to see who has latched onto him. He was barely able to see me.

"Is that you, Maelynn?" I hug tighter. "You obviously have a lot of anger and stress welling up inside you." Without asking, he grabs my hands to pull away, turning around and putting the palms of his hands onto my collarbone just above my chest. Slowly, he pulls his hands away from me. As he does so, my body and mind feel extremely light as if he was sucking all my problems away. As his hands fell away from my body, a dark blackish violet colored liquid emerged from my body and is surrounding his hands.

Kitamura is originally from the Wind Country, the home to a diminishing family of those with the power to manipulate negative energy either between people or into a physical matter, typically a liquid. All previous Wind Denizen asked this family line to stay with the Wind Country, becoming a key factor in how it is now, a peaceful land where many go for peace and happiness.

As the final bits of negativity is pulled from my body, I feel so light that I could fly away from here. My mind is so clear that I feel like a new person. I've missed this feeling so much. It's so calming.

"Feeling better?"

"I'm as happy as I could ever be," I smile. "I'm glad you were willing to help me."

"You are most welcome," he notes as he motions for me to follow him back outside, out of the hot kitchen. The negativity on his hands eventually sinks into him as he twitches. After a few minutes, he slowly let the negativity seep out from him into a black ball. Once it formed in the air in front of him, he launches the ball with his hand into the mountain, leaving a hole and cracks in the mountain. "That bad?"

"Yep." I knew he was aware of what was going through my head: he can see everything in the negativity he absorbs.

"I told you before that you shouldn't depend solely on me for these sorts of things, but it appears that this turned out to be a necessity."

"And I'm glad to get that stress off my chest. It feels nice to have a clear head again." I think back to why I came. "Why are you here now?"

"Pachi showed interest in our skills and wanted us to take over the food."

"What about your restaurant that you and the others built before my family threatened you and made a deal with you guys to work for them?"

"One day we'll be able to get out of this and back to the restaurant. One day." We both go silent. "I would like to catch up with you again, but I'm afraid I have a lot of work I need to do," he sighs. "It would seem that you didn't plan on staying long, either."

"I need to get to Yukino as fast as I can."

"Maybe we'll be able to find some time to catch up in the future," he smiles back. With that, I give him another hug before I get off the property.

It is true that he took the negativity out of me, but it is also true that I am immune from negativity. The first thing that comes to mind is how the Shadow Denizen is keeping Lily and Kisa hostage. Now, the Lightning Denizen has Kitamura and the others because of my family. Once I am strong enough, I will save them all.

* * *

 **October 24th, 1303 NB: Afternoon, Coast of the Lightning Country**

A full day passes as I hitch rides from those who are traveling to the coast. There, I find myself finding Hazel and Rory the panther. They were both lying in a stack of hay.

"How long have you been here?"

"We got here yesterday," Hazel says while stroking the panther's fur. "We thought it best to wait here, we didn't know where you guys went." She looks around. "You're alone?"

"On our way here, we were attacked. The Ombre and I got separated, but the woman took Yukino with her to the Wind Country.

"The boat we got here on is still here, perhaps we can ask them to take us there."

"We better get going. Who knows if he's still alive." With that, they talk to the owners of the boat and head for the Wind Country.


End file.
